T Level Students Engineer a Solution for Bricklaying Learners at Chelmsford College

As part of Chelmsford College’s ongoing celebrations for T Levels Week 2026, the team are proud to share the amazing work of their T Level Design and Development Engineering students, who have put their skills into practice by designing and 3D printing spirit level holders for our bricklaying learners.

The project began with a practical need of keeping spirit levels upright, close to hand and easy to pick up during workshop activities. Working with the bricklaying lecturers, the T Level students began to understand the requirements and turned these into a clear design challenge.

Guided by Engineering Lecturer Lince Thomas, the students worked through the design process, from recognising the initial need and developing ideas to CAD modelling, additive manufacturing and testing against client requirements. Along the way, they were challenged to optimise their designs by considering stability, fit, ease of use, material consumption and printing time.

The holder’s aim was to make tools easier to access, help protect them from damage and support a more organised working area. Upon successful completion, the engineering students were excited to hand over something they had designed and manufactured themselves, which the bricklaying learners happily received.

The collaboration gave students a valuable opportunity to respond to feedback, make independent decisions and see firsthand how their engineering skills can be used to find practical solutions and support another trade.

Speaking on the success, Lince Thomas said "Seeing students take a practical need through to a finished product has been really rewarding. My role was to guide and support them through the design and manufacturing stages while encouraging them to take ownership of their decisions. Their excitement when handing over their own products showed the value of learning with a real purpose."

This project is a great example of how T Levels at Chelmsford College not only provide learners with the academic qualifications needed to succeed, but the practical skills employers value too. Chelmsford College would like to extend a special thank you to Wendy Johnson, Head of Department for Construction, Engineering and Retrofit, for her support and encouragement and to the fantastic bricklaying lecturers for sharing their expertise and helping bring the project to life.