Employer Spotlight: Akddus Khan, Oldham Council

The success of our T Levels isn’t just down to our hardworking learners: the input of local employers allows learners to put their knowledge into practice on work placements and develop their skills.

Akddus Khan, Learning and Development Commissioner in the Human Resources and Organisational Development department at Oldham Council, has worked with two of our Digital T Level learners, Mohammed and Taylor, over the past year.

“We asked all the learners to apply for placements in the same way you’d apply for a job,” says Akddus.

“The interviews were competitive, and we were really impressed with the questions students asked and the way they conducted themselves.”

Mohammed and Taylor were offered the placements, as Akddus could see they had the most drive to work in local authority, and were the perfect fit for the roles advertised.

Making a difference

On starting at Oldham Council, Mohammed and Taylor were given projects and tasks to work on that made a real difference to their respective departments. Taylor worked in Human Resources, while Mohammed was in IT.

“We also worked on their soft skills,” says Akddus. “I set them tasks each week to help them step out of their comfort zones, such as making conversation with an assistant director in their team. We coached them, offering tips and advice on how to break the ice and conduct themselves.”

The impact of T Levels

Oldham Council is now working with other local authorities (LAs) to encourage them to offer T Level placements. “We’re a real advocate for T Levels, which is why we’re working to show other LAs how valuable they are,” Akddus says.

“The advice that I’d give to other employers is to create opportunities. This is your pipeline of future talent – and investing in it is so important. Young people will go elsewhere if they can’t find local opportunities.

“Young people have opportunities on their doorstep – it’s about getting in touch with that, as an employer, and making the most of it.”