Skip to content
Having recently completed her T Level in Design, Surveying and Planning for Construction with HRC, Melody Spies was awarded Regional Highly Commended for The Gatsby T Level Student of the Year Award 2025 at the Regional Apprenticeships & Skills Awards. We spoke with Melody and her tutors, Abhilash and Drishya, to learn more about the journey behind her nomination and how her T Level course with HRC has played a key role in shaping Melody’s future.
Throughout her time at HRC, Melody maintained perfect attendance, volunteered regularly to support with college events, and consistently led by example among her peers. With support from her tutors, Melody submitted an application and covering letter for the award, investing considerable time and effort into articulating her achievements, skills and personal qualities, including written feedback from her placement employer, leading her to receive a nomination and subsequently winning an award. We asked Melody what being nominated meant to her – “I was really excited about it because it shows that all my efforts throughout my T Level have paid off is being recognised – I am really honoured”.
A T Level qualification is an alternative route to higher education or employment than the traditional path of A Levels, and includes a 45-day industry placement as part of the curriculum. For Melody, her industry placement was with Laing O’Rourke, working with graduate quantity surveyors on the Olympia Exhibition Centre redevelopment project in London. We asked Melody how the placement benefited her, and she explained “My placement was what I was most looking forward to about a T Level because gaining practical experience is very valuable to support theory-based work”. This, combined with the opportunity to attend exhibitions at Excel London, learning the fundamentals of construction including elements of law and maths, and working with industry-standard equipment all as part of the course content, Melody says that “thanks to my T Level, I now have a clear path for my future”.
Melody has since started her Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship in Quantity Surveying as a result of her T Level qualification gained with HRC and is working on a Wind Farm with Murphy to complete her apprenticeship, while studying remotely with the University of the Built Environment to complete her degree. Her long-term goal is to work her way up to being Senior Quantity Surveyor, and eventually open her own company or work in a director role.
When asked what advice she would give someone considering a T Level with HRC, Melody said “Do that T Level! You’ll gain invaluable experience and learning in a technical way gave me a deeper understanding of my theory-based learning”.
If you would like to hear more about Melody’s experiences, you can watch our full interview with her below.
