Our Level 3 students have been sharing their dreams for the future after celebrating their final results.
T Level and BTEC students, along with A levels students at Leeds Sixth Form College (LSFC), received their final grades on Thursday 15 August.
For many, the day marked a chance to relax and reflect after years of hard work, and – at Park Lane campus – to talk about their next steps with TV, radio and newspaper teams.
Digital and IT T Level student Loukas Arthington was one of a number who will be carrying on their training through a degree apprenticeship.
Loukas said he was ‘really happy’ to have gained a distinction in his T Level. Looking forward to taking up his apprenticeship with Leeds Beckett University, he explained the appeal: “I’ll be getting paid while doing it so not having to get in debt, while also being paid, is going to be good!”
Our new Students Union President, Shaik Mohammed Qasim, meanwhile was pleased to receive a merit in his Level 3 BTEC in Aviation.
Shaik is still considering a future that sees him land his dream job, as a pilot. For the next few years, though, he is going to focus on working and developing his SU role and interest in politics.
He said: “I’m extremely happy with my result, I’ve really been putting the work in so I got the reward.
“Now I’m working as the SU President here and that’s what I intend to do next year, run for a second year in the elections and hopefully win.”
Health, plus Education and Early Years T Level students, meanwhile, came into Quarry Hill campus to celebrate their results.
Leah Griffiths’ distinction in her Health T Level – which includes a placement in a hospital or healthcare setting – means she has secured a place at the University of Leeds, where she will study adult nursing.
Reflecting on her course and time with Leeds City College, she said: “It’s been absolutely amazing, it’s such a good opportunity to learn what you actually want to do.”
That was a view echoed by Patryk Aniolkowski, who achieved a distinction in his T Level Education and Childcare course. Patryk said: “I most enjoyed going to Spain for a two week placement where we had the opportunity to teach in a Spanish school.”
A level students at LSFC also had a great day, with Toby Oughton claiming ‘bragging rights for life’ after becoming one of our very first students to secure a place at Oxford University.
The 18 year old celebrated his achievement – secured with As in Philosophy and Psychology and a B in Fine Art – with a shout of joy and a lap of the Park Lane campus.
He said: “I’m so unbelievably happy, I’ve been so stressed for the last few months.
“It’s not been easy and there’s been a lot of work, but it paid off. I‘m going to Oxford and I’m one of the first from here to do so – so I get bragging rights for life!
“I will be getting some friends together and having a drink to celebrate.”
He is now looking forward to starting at Oxford, where he will study philosophy and theology, this autumn.
Others celebrating included Dawud Fiaz, whose results – two As and an A* – mean he will be heading to Kings College London later this year to study social sciences.
Fellow A level student Jason Cheung, meanwhile, achieved As in History, Geography and Maths and will now study geology at the University of Leeds. He said: “It has been a great two years and I’ve met some inspiring teachers, especially my geography teacher who inspired me to go down this career path.
“Great people, great place!”
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‘An absolute pleasure’.
That is how Yorkshire-based legal practice XYZ Law has described hosting its very first T Level student, after linking up with Leeds City College.
Yaaseen Patel spent nine weeks with the company as part of his Digital Support Services T Level, and excelled in the IT and administration role.
This was exactly the kind of practical experience that Yaaseen was hoping for when he chose to go down the T Level path – which has industry placements at its heart.
He said: “I have always been interested in IT and had digital skills, so I knew I wanted to have a career in the field.
“I decided to follow the T Level route when I was in sixth form and was bored with just desk-based classroom work all the time. T levels offered hands-on learning experience, which appealed to me.
“My role in XYZ Law was to research and compare remote working surveillance and chatbots for the company, then present it to the team. I also learned a lot about how their admin and IT side works.
“I really enjoyed it and learned a lot about how a law firm operates.”
For the business, meanwhile – which operates throughout the UK and has its head office in Dewsbury – the placement represented a very positive introduction to the world of T Level placements.
HR manager Mollie Wright said:”It was an absolute pleasure to have Yaaseen join our team.
“He was amazing at communicating throughout and completed every task to a high standard, while also showing an interest in different aspects of the firm. As well as doing great at his work, Yaaseen also settled really well into the team.
“This placement was an opportunity for us to support a young person in achieving their qualification, while having an extra person to assist the business. It was our first T Level placement and we are looking forward to taking on someone else in the future.”
Yaaseen, who has now completed his T Level, added: “I would recommend the course to students who are interested in doing an apprenticeship or full time employment after college.
“The work placement is very beneficial for your CV and gives you a higher chance of becoming employable.”
He is now preparing to study IT at university.
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