Lloyds Banking Group expands T-Levels programme in London

Lloyds Banking Group is expanding its support for T-Levels, announcing a record intake of students this year as it looks to boost digital skills and increase opportunities for school leavers in banking in London.

The Group’s support for the T-Level qualification is part of its industry-leading apprenticeship programme, with more than 1,300 apprentices, in roles ranging from data and business analytics to software engineering and cyber security.

Sixteen students from La Retraite College in Clapham are beginning workplace placements on the Group’s T-Level programme this week, following a successful pilot in 2022. Students will gain nine weeks of industry experience on a placement, paid for by Lloyds Banking Group, working at the business’s key UK hub in London.

The 16–19-year-olds have been allocated places aligned to the Digital T-Level courses they’re taking within key disciplines for the banking sector: software engineering, cyber security, data analytics, and finance and project management.

During their nine-week placements, students will work with experienced Lloyds Banking Group mentors to make a significant contribution to their allocated business areas, working on projects such as building a chat bot and web design, as well as getting involved with planning team events and activities.

This is the second year of the Group’s T-Level programme, which has been designed to offer another route into banking for school-leavers and meet increasing demand for digital skills within the sector.

Six students participated in the pilot scheme last year, with all since applying for apprenticeship roles and being fast-tracked to the final assessment stage. This year, a total of 70 students across the UK will complete the nine-week placement in two four-week blocks, from 19th June – 14th July, and 4th – 29th September, following an orientation week (24th – 28th April) to meet their teams and familiarise themselves with the working environment.

Robert Halfon, Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education, said: “T-Levels are a great way for students to climb the ladder of opportunity towards a successful career, with a balance of classroom and on-the-job learning enabling young people to acquire the skills and experience needed to make a thriving contribution across many industries.

“I applaud Lloyds Banking Group for its impressive commitment to T-Levels and having prominent employers embrace vocational qualifications is essential to achieving parity of esteem with traditional degrees. I urge other employers to emulate its ambitious strategy in nurturing talent for the future workplace.”

Simon Kenyon, Lloyds Banking Group Ambassador for London, said: “Expanding our T-Level initiative is a key part of our ambition to attract the best talent into the banking industry, from a diverse range of backgrounds, and we’re looking forward to welcoming the students from La Retraite College. Demand for T-Level qualifications is growing, and for good reason. More and more young people recognise they can pursue a skilled and exciting career with a balance of classroom and on-the-job learning, which empowers them to work sooner than other routes of education.

“We know that the next generation is talented and eager to put their passion to use, and we’re commited to unlocking the potential of these fantastic students as part of our industry-leading apprenticeship scheme.”

There are three T-Levels in Digital available: Digital Production, Design and Development; Digital Support Services; and Digital Business Services.

Around 1,750 students started studying a T Level in Digital this academic year, up from around 400 in its inaugural year and 1,200 in 2021/22.

Commenting on the Group’s wider apprenticeships programme, Simon added: “Our apprenticeship programme champions young people in the workplace, but also aims to highlight how varied and exciting a career and banking can be. Apprenticeship schemes offer a qualification and a kickstart to a career, and they demonstrate how important digital skills are in all sectors, especially finance.”

Mark Kamerera, a student at La Retraite College in London, is joining the Group’s data team in its offices on Gresham Street, in the heart of the City of London.

Mark said: “I wanted to study a T-Level because the programme had a very dynamic way to learning, similar to an apprenticeship, with the idea that you would learn core content and be able to put it to practice in the real world. That’s a really exciting idea and a way that I like to learn.

“I’ve got friends that have studied and done apprenticeships at Lloyds Banking Group and they’ve all had really positive experiences, so that helped me to decide to apply here. There are also all sorts of events as part of the placement that will help me grow my technical and academic knowledge, but also grow socially and to be able to use those skills in a job in the future.”