At A Glance:
During the 2-year programme, students will learn the core knowledge and skills that are needed for entry to a range of digital occupations.
- L3 course
- 2 Year duration
- 9 week minimum working with an employer on an industry placement
Students can also use this T Level to do a related higher - level apprenticeship or degree course
This course is also known as Digital Production, Design and Development.
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN ON THIS COURSE
CORE CONTENT
Students will develop an understanding of:
• how digital technologies impact business
• the ethical and moral implications of digital technology • using data in software design
• using digital technologies to analyse and solve problems
• digital environments, including physical, virtual and cloud environments
• emerging technical trends, such as Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented Reality (AR), Blockchain, 3D printing
• legal and regulatory obligations relating to digital technologies
• the privacy and confidentiality of personal data
• the technical, physical and human aspects of internet security
• planning digital projects
• testing software, hardware and data
• digital tools for project management and collaboration
OPTION TO SPECIALISE
The content will include:
• analysing a problem to define requirements and acceptance criteria aligned to user needs
• designing, implementing, and testing software
• changing, maintaining and supporting software
• creating solutions in a social and collaborative environment
• discovering, evaluating, and applying reliable sources of knowledge
• applying ethical principles and managing risks in line with legal and regulatory requirements when developing software
6 GCSEs grades 4-9, including grade 5 in Maths and grade 5 in English Language, plus grade 5 or above in Computer Studies or a related subject.
TYPICAL CAREERS INCLUDE:
• Web developer
• Web designer
• Software developer
• Computer games tester
• Computer games developer
• E-learning developer
• User experience (ux) designer
Milosz - Digital Production, Design and Development
We attended The Maze Runner Competition which was a fantastic opportunity to attend. We had to build a Bluetooth controlled car, and we were provided with kits and instructions on how to make the cars. Then we had to insert code into the robots to actually make them function as intended. The challenge was to race against the other teams, then take part in robot wars where the last robot standing wins. Our team had the joy of winning both of the competitions and were able to take the cars home afterwards.
We then went to visit St Mary's University and Staffordshire University and experienced their brilliant facilities. This gave us the opportunity to explore our options for the future.
I have also had the pleasure of gaining work experience at Enable Infrastructure. In the work placement, we have been assigned 'admin' roles and have been assigned tasks every week. The first week was more of an introduction to the company and the office environment. The second week, we were tasked to try fix a laptop. There was a laptop which had a broken screen and we had to transplant a good and working screen from a doner laptop to the broken one. That went exceptionally smoothly and we managed to complete the task with little difficulty. In the third week we had an educational day where I learned about their system and their 'ticket' process. I went on a few calls with an IT worker where he explained everything. I then helped to solve those tickets and problems that other people had. In the fourth week we processed a leaver (wiped his work laptop, transferred his data into the company servers, did some admin work and removed him from the system).
I feel like the work placement is very beneficial to me and I really enjoy it .
This course has taught me so much, not only about the importance of being independent as a 16-year-old but also about the value of entering the workforce and gaining real-world experience.
Omran - Digital Production, Design and Development
Through this journey, I have learned to take responsibility, manage my time effectively, and develop essential skills that will benefit me in the future.
One of the most exciting aspects of my experience has been working with social media, particularly in relation to supercars. Being able to combine my passion for high-performance vehicles with digital marketing has been incredible. Creating content, engaging with audiences, and understanding the business side of social media has given me valuable insight into potential career paths. It has also shown me how dedication and creativity can turn a passion into an opportunity.
I truly believe that this course should be more widely promoted, as many young people like myself could greatly benefit from learning these skills at an earlier age. The first hand experience it provides is invaluable, and I am grateful for the lessons it has taught me.
Allan - Digital Production, Design and Development
The T Level Digital Production, Design and Development with its career focused course allows a change in pace within the normal academia.
The required work placement gives us an opportunity to gain real life experience within our fields, giving us an edge over other courses.
The knowledge gained from our course gives a more practical insight than the usual theory from other courses such as A level. The experienced I have gained from my placement in software gave me an insight in software development and the specific jobs within the field, enhancing my coding skills within different programming languages.
My current placement within Enable Infrastructures gave me the reality of working as an IT support, which I have previously thought to be quite manageable however, it goes into a wider range of different tasks from the normal IT ticket support to security and hardware management.
Our teacher Mrs Ay has also been incredibly supportive with both teaching us the required topics in our course and going beyond by also giving us advice into how to benefit from our placements and the reality of working in tech.
