A former Northampton College student who is training to become a Military Nurse has won the T Level Student category at the regional finals of the Department for Education’s National Apprenticeship and Skills Awards 2025.
Lily Ager took the title after impressing the competition judges with the commitment she showed during her T Level Health – Adult Nursing course at Northampton College, which included an industry placement at Brackley Community Hospital. Her hard work secured her a Merit and helped her gain a highly coveted place in the British Army to study Nursing at Birmingham City University.
The win means Lily is now through to the competition’s national awards ceremony, which will take place at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London on Wednesday, November 26.
Lily, 19, said: “The atmosphere at the regional awards was fantastic and the other finalists were brilliant, so I feel hugely honoured to have won the T Level Student of the Year category.
“I really enjoyed my T Level course because it combined a strong academic curriculum with extensive hands-on experience, and it helped me with my ambition to join the Army and become a Military Nurse.
“I hope my T Level journey shows other young people that a technical education can open doors, help to build confidence and enable you to secure sought-after professional careers.”
Lily’s award win coincides with the start of the National T Levels Week, which runs from Monday, October 13, to Friday, October 17. The nationwide campaign is designed to raise awareness about the high-quality qualifications and to celebrate the fantastic employers who are providing industry placements for T Level students.
T Levels are two-year courses taken after GCSEs as an alternative to A Levels, apprenticeships and other 16 to 19 courses. They are equivalent in size to three A levels, focus on vocational skills and can help students into skilled employment, higher study or apprenticeships.
Northampton College Principal Jason Lancaster said: “We’re so thrilled with Lily’s latest success – she is a fantastic example of what can be achieved when students opt to study T Level courses.
“T Levels are developed in collaboration with employers to ensure that students have the skills they need to pursue their chosen careers as well as the academic knowledge that they require.
“T Level qualifications enable students to progress to skilled work, higher study or apprenticeships and benefit employers because they provide them with early access to a pipeline of talented young people with skills relevant to their industries.”
Northampton College offers a range of T Level courses in the areas of Health and Social Care and Childcare, Business, Digital, Construction and the Built Environment, Engineering and Science.
Prospective students can learn more at https://www.northamptoncollege.ac.uk/school-leavers/t-levels
Employers who want to find out more about the benefits of working with Northampton College T Level students can email
