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T Level placements help F&F Stores support local students and build future talent

Allie Le, People and Culture Manager at F&F Stores Ltd, says that the company’s partnership with MK College is helping them build future talent and deliver it social responsibility goals.

Founded in 2015, F&F Stores is a rapidly expanding E-commerce business based in Milton Keynes. Allie explains that the company started working with MK College just over 12 months ago.

“I arranged a meeting with MK College and it was so valuable for us. After that meeting, we organised an in-house Multiply maths training course to support our warehouse team. Multiply is a government-funded programme that helps adults improve their numeracy skills. Many of our team members don’t hold formal qualifications, so this training was particularly useful given their work with stock inventory. The feedback on the tutors was that they were very supportive.”

The company has since gone on to offer industry placements to T Level students. “We’ve had three T Level students join us since September last year, in different departments. After their 45-day placements with us, we received lots of good feedback from our managers.”

Allie highlights several key benefits to the partnership with MK College. “Firstly it’s an opportunity to enhance our visibility in the community and with young talent for the future,” she said. “Secondly, it benefits our existing employees through training and apprenticeships. Finally it’s about social responsibility – we want to support the community, and we’re especially passionate about working with MK College to give students work experience. It’s often difficult for young people to get these kinds of opportunities.”

When asked why they chose to partner with MK College, Allie said: “There are two main reasons – one is location, but the other is the support and responsiveness of the college. They are very proactive in contacting employers to create opportunities for students. I’ve visited the campus many times and it’s very inspiring. We’re pleased to play a small part in supporting students and the college on this journey.”

“We recently got involved by sponsoring MK College’s 2025 Student of the Year Award for English and Maths, which was a brilliant way to show our support for education and young talent. We really enjoyed the recent employer showcase too – it was a great reminder of how businesses like ours can help young people get started in their careers. Doing things like this is part of how we show our commitment to the local community, and it feels genuinely meaningful for everyone involved.”

The business also supports apprenticeships. “We have an apprentice working with us as an accounts assistant, studying and working at the same time. In just over a year, I’ve seen the benefits of this partnership.”

The company is also exploring new ways to support a diverse range of learners. “We’re now running another placement with a student who has additional learning needs as a trial, and in the future, we’d like to expand this.”

Reflecting on their experience with MK College she added: “It’s all gone well – fantastic! The college responds very quickly to any questions we have. If any issues come up, we can sort them out together. They’re always supportive.”

When asked what advice she would give to other employers considering working with MK College, Allie said: “Working with a local college is very beneficial for small and medium-sized businesses. We don’t have a big budget, so the partnership is very helpful for both sides. For us, we’ve chosen this path and we believe it works. Just start with a conversation with the employer engagement team – see what opportunities they can offer.”

To find out more about offering work placements through MK College, contact the Work Experience Team at: workexperienceteam@mkcollege.ac.uk

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