T Level student Seb shows drive to succeed during placement at The Motorist

The Sherburn-in-Elmet-based company run a restaurant, merchandise store and garage workshop, as well as hosting regular guest speaker events and hiring out function rooms.

To have all of those elements – on one site – has enabled Seb to showcase his potential in numerous areas as he enhances his business knowledge at the automotive venue.

One task he has been entrusted with is the overseeing of The Motorist’s 500-strong membership scheme.

That responsibility has seen him process new applications within the three-tier structure and use in-house software to create individual cards incorporating a QR code to monitor spending habits.

He has been given some leadership autonomy, too, having been asked to put together store displays.

“I’ve been looking after bits of advertising and was given two store display tasks, which was really enjoyable,” Seb enthused. “One was a drinks display and I focussed on putting together gift options and packages.

“The other one was car accessories and lanyards and, when I was asked to do the displays, it felt that I was being given the allowance to be a leader and it was nice to be given that level of trust.”

Seb has been encouraged, meanwhile, to have an input in company meetings and has helped out with the organisation and running of events, admitting that he now feels equipped with basic, but vital, marketing skills.

“I’ve learned that if you are looking at a piece of work and end up coming up with different perspectives, then it will also be difficult for others to understand,” he explained. “I’ve put that into practice when I’ve helped with some of the pictures for the TV screen and some of the flyers that we produce."

As well as checking that all marketing materials are up-to-date and accurate, he is also responding to customer reviews with personalised replies and escalating issues to relevant teams.

Seb admits that acquiring such extensive workplace experience and knowledge was a big factor in why he opted to study a T Level when he was considering his post-16 education options and it’s a decision he is now pleased that he made, adding: “The experience of being able to do a placement in a corporate environment appealed to me and this work placement has been great, because I now know how to work in an office.

“When I go into a workforce, I will know what to expect and have an idea of what’s going to happen. Quite a few people who are doing A Levels won’t have that idea.

“I don’t really like exams either – I’m not sure anybody really does – so not having to do any in my second year is good, too, but I also like the idea of being able to go into a business having learned what you need to do in that environment.”

That T Level model of applying classroom tuition to a real-life work setting has been invaluable in terms of Seb’s Leadership & Management journey and, on the importance of his College lessons, he said: “I really enjoyed the Unit 2 People module.

“That focussed on how you communicate with people in a business and we talked about who the stakeholders are and how you’d deal with them. I quite liked Unit 1 as well, which was Quality Assurance and is all about how you maintain high standards with all clients.

“We’ve learned a lot about finance as well, like how to do costing analysis. Everything has focussed on what you do day-to-day in a business, including project management methods and models.”

The potential next steps for anybody completing a T Level qualification, meanwhile, remain appealingly varied with Seb having a preferred pathway – the degree apprenticeship route, where a company pay a salary and cover tuition fees for a university course.

He is also keeping his options open, however.

“Everyone wants to do a degree apprenticeship and I would love to do one,” he declared. “I think they’re a really good opportunity but, if not, I’d look at doing a normal apprenticeship or going to university."

Robert Arnold, The Motorist’s Retail Manager, has been impressed by Seb’s burgeoning customer service skills, describing them as a “real asset” to the business’ day-to-day operations.

“Seb has developed a clear, welcoming phone manner and built a strong knowledge of the site so he can confidently give accurate directions and helpful, concise information,” Robert explained. “His professional communication skills have helped customers feel informed and at ease before they’ve even arrived at The Motorist.

“He has actively worked on his telephone style - refining his tone, pacing and word choice - so conversations are smooth and efficient and that has created a positive first impression. He has also balanced independence with good judgement, knowing when to seek clarification to ensure every booking and enquiry is handled correctly.

“His attentive customer service has been a real asset and his ability to learn fast, stay composed on the phone and deliver clear information has made him a trusted first point of contact for guests.”

On the display assignments that Seb was given in the store, Robert said: “Seb’s bespoke merchandise displays and his designing of point-of-sale materials to support them brought fresh ideas that enhanced the shop’s presentation and boosted the overall shopping experience by adding a professional, eye-catching element. His contributions in the store have made a clear difference as has his creativity, reliability and positive attitude, along with his ability to learn fast and communicate well with colleagues.

“He has also restocked products, checked price labels and kept all displays neat and inviting. Shelves have stayed organised under his watch and he has picked up the store’s systems and routines quickly, whilst executing them with confidence.”

Harrison Spinks Events Marketing Manager Helence Coelho, who oversees operations at The Motorist and is also supervising Seb’s placement believes T Levels provide students with a “maturity” and “savviness” that is proving a “huge advantage” for their future employment prospects.

By the time he has gained his T Level qualification next summer, Seb will have completed 315 placement hours and, on the value of gaining such experience and knowledge, Helene reasoned: “The work placement element of T Levels is a huge advantage for the students in terms of the maturity and savviness that you get.

“The benefits are really worthwhile. I remember going through education myself and then into a working environment and it’s such a big jump and shock to the system so, the sooner you experience that the better, because it gives young people confidence and a greater appreciation of deadlines and the importance of reputation.”

Helene has entrusted Seb with various responsibilities within her department at The Motorist, including asking him to compile a report after carrying out online research, due diligence and suitability checks on potential partnership companies and organisations for the business.

This has freed up time for her to focus on other responsibilities before consulting Seb’s dossier and using it to make informed decisions.

The aptitude he has shown fulfilling such duties has also demonstrated to Helene and the wider company the value of offering a placement to T Level students from York College.

She added: “We would definitely be open to taking on more T Level students. We are quite a young team ourselves at The Motorist and we don’t think age is a fair way to judge somebody’s professional ability.

“We look for the right attitude and levels of initiative and maturity, because we always believe the skills can be picked up and it’s always nice to have new fresh ideas.

“Seb has shown he’s very keen to learn and has thrown himself into tasks. I saw genuine enthusiasm from him when he was doing the report, as he tried to piece all those bits of knowledge together into something that’s moving a little bit more towards critical thinking.”

One of the key areas that Seb has strengthened, by his own admission, during the placement is his communication skills.

He initially found speaking on the phone as the company’s first point of contact difficult but is pleased that he now feels more comfortable speaking to and advising customers – a change that he attributes to the support and guidance he has received both in the workplace and during lessons at College.

“Coming to College I’d say I probably wasn’t very good in terms of my communication ability so, what we did in the classroom when we were taught to be clear, vocal and confident, really has helped, even in terms of answering the phone,” he pointed out. “I felt a bit awkward at first but have definitely got a lot better at it and feel more competent talking to the customers now.”

Helene agreed that Seb has made great progress on that key interpersonal skill, too, adding: “We have quite a complex business so, when that phone rings, it could be for a wide variety of reasons and Seb is the first point of contact when he’s here.

“Some people think that’s a smaller task, but it actually keeps the everyday cogs of the business going, so it’s really important. We’ve worked on consistency when he’s answering the phone to give customers a professional first impression.

“He has also acquired a good knowledge of which calls can be forwarded to heads of departments and which shouldn’t be by asking questions instead of putting somebody straight through.”

His competency levels carrying out such tasks have persuaded Helene that, at some point during this second year of his placement, Seb will be given an opportunity to demonstrate his leadership and management skills by assuming control of a project within the business.

That is most likely to involve selling advertising space on the company’s digi ad van – a vehicle with a giant TV screen that can display whatever your business wants to promote, while static or on the move.

Helene added: “The phone skills are giving Seb more confidence in terms of dealing with the public and we’ll be looking to give him a project to oversee in the future. He could possibly work on the digi ad van and that would see him dealing with getting the art work from clients and running through specifications, as well as negotiating quotes and maintaining relationships with those customers.”

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