T Level progression profiles
Introduction
Working closely with employers, we have published the first T Level progression profiles in:
- Digital
- Construction
- Education and childcare
The profiles show how T Levels provide a strong foundation, which can lead to a range of opportunities in:
- employment
- apprenticeships
- higher and further education
How we develop the progression profiles
We deveop progression profiles with employers, providers, and other industry experts. We map content that is common to T Levels and apprenticeships, linking to our occupational maps. These maps show the skilled occupations that technical education can lead to. The occupational maps are being developed to include our other approved technical education programmes:
- T Levels
- Higher Technical Qualifications
These programmes can support access to skilled occupations.
We have designed progression profiles to show opportunities available to T Level students upon completion, including apprenticeships and employment. Organisations are flexible and many opportunities will be available other than those shown.
T Level students may be able to complete an apprenticeship in a reduced timeframe. This is due to recognition of prior learning (RPL).
The profiles will evolve with new T Level cohorts and as we continue to engage with those within the sector. We will add new profiles as we launch more T Levels from 2021. We update the content of T Levels and apprenticeships to meet employers’ changing needs.
Key to diagrams
1. Digital production, design and development
Digital production, design and development
The diagram above shows the possible progression routes available to students after taking the Digital production, design and development T Level (this T Level only contains one specialism). They could go into employment, for example as a Software development technician. They could also enter a higher technical occupation by taking an accelerated level 4 apprenticeship. This could be a DevOps engineer, Software developer, or Software tester. They could also access higher technical occupations through studying Higher Technical Qualifications.
Employers also suggested opportunities to progress into other apprenticeships at levels 4-6. These will be looked at as part of the next phase of our work.
Students will have covered most of the content for Software development technician (level 3) through their T Level. They will not need to complete this apprenticeship and can miss this step.
2. Design, surveying & planning
Surveying and design for construction and the built environment
Civil engineering
Building services design and Hazardous materials analysis and surveying
The diagrams above show possible progression routes available to students after taking the Design, surveying and planning T Level. This T level has four occupational specialisms:
- Surveying and design for construction and the built environment
- Civil engineering
- Building services design
- Hazardous materials analysis and surveying
Students who take the Surveying and design for construction and the built environment specialism could look to enter a higher technical occupation by taking an apprenticeship such as Construction quantity surveying technician, Construction site engineer technician, or Construction design and build technician.
Students who take the Civil engineering specialism could take an accelerated Civil engineering technician apprenticeship. They could also look to enter a higher technical occupation by taking apprenticeships such as Construction site engineer technician, Construction quantity surveying technician and Construction design and build technician.
Students who take the Building services design specialism could progress into an accelerated Building services design technician apprenticeship. They could also look to enter a higher technical occupation by taking an apprenticeship such as Construction quality surveying technician, or Construction design and build technician.
Students who take the Hazardous materials analysis and surveying technician specialism are likely to move straight into non-apprenticeship employment or higher or further education. The content from the Asbestos analyst/surveyor apprenticeship will already have been covered by the T Level.
Employers also suggested opportunities to progress from this T Level into other occupations, including direct entry to the Chartered surveyor degree apprenticeship. These will be looked at as part of the next phase of our work.
All occupational specialisms will also provide an opportunity to enter non-apprenticeship employment and further or higher education, including Higher Technical Qualifications.
3. Education and childcare
Assisting teaching and Supporting and mentoring students in educational settings
Early years educator
The diagrams above show the possible progression routes available to students after taking the Education and childcare T Level. This T level has three occupational specialisms:
- Assisting teaching
- Supporting and mentoring students in educational settings
- Early years educator
Students taking the Assisting teaching or Supporting and mentoring students in educational settings specialisms could enter a higher technical occupation by taking an Assessor coach apprenticeship.
Students taking the Early years educator specialism could go into non-apprenticeship employment, or into higher technical qualifications or other higher or further education.
Employers also suggested opportunities to progress from this T Level into other occupations at levels 5-7. We will look at these as part of the next phase of our work.
All occupational specialisms will provide an opportunity to enter non-apprenticeship employment and further or higher education, including Higher Technical Qualifications.
4. Next steps
Our initial work has focused on the above T Levels, available for first teach from September 2021. We are also working to produce initial progression profiles for the second wave of T Levels (available for first teach from September 2022). These are:
- Onsite construction
- Building services engineering for construction
- Digital support services
- Digital business services
- Health
- Healthcare science
- Science
If you are an employer, provider or industry expert in any of these sectors and would like to be involved in the development of our progression work, please contact [email protected].
Responses