T Level Construction students have praised an industry-led project which has allowed them to gain valuable skills and experience in preparation for their future careers.

The students, who are in the second year of our new T Level in Design, Surveying and Planning, were challenged to design a tailor-made bungalow suitable for those with disabilities.

The task was set by Together, a company which has become a key T Level partner of the construction department as part of its commitment to support young talent entering the sector.  The winning design is to be built on campus by the T level students, who gain a good overview of all three trades – brickwork, joinery and plastering – during their course, along with project management. The costs of the materials are being met by Together.

Working to a client brief, the students were asked to produce a clear and accurate design for a one bedroom bungalow that met all key requirements. They then had to create a power point presentation, covering the whole journey from initial brief to a 3D virtual model of the design using CAD software. The students presented their design individually to a panel of senior managers from Together, who selected the winning design.

Consideration for disabled access and use was a key requirement, with the students required to research suitable layouts and furnishings along with modern and sustainable methods of construction and an achievable build time.

Benefits of the project included an increased understanding of design principles and  associated legislation, which is a significant part of the T Level. It also allowed students to gain a crucial insight into the process of bringing a client’s idea to life, and offered the opportunity for work placement hours to ensure the completion of the build in time for our 2024 Family Festival.

All students who took part delivered excellent designs and presentations, but the eventual winner was 18 year-old Phillippa Jones, closely followed by Ethan Leese and Harvey Bennett. Rio Williams, Ted Hendy and Jacob Nevitt were highly commended.

Gerald Grimes, CEO Designate of Together, said: “It has been inspiring to work with and support such young talent. All students followed the design brief and showed empathy and sensitivity to the client and alignment to the stakeholders. Above all they all showed professionalism and passion, and it was extremely difficult to select a winner.”

Phillippa, who plans to become a surveyor, said: “This project gave me a real taste of working in the industry and was a very useful exercise, It was definitely a challenge, particularly presenting to the panel, and I was very pleased to win.”

For further course details see our Construction course web page