Consultation into T level occupational maps

The Institute for Apprenticeships has today opened a consultation on its draft occupational maps, which will help shape the way that the new T level qualifications are governed. The consultation will last 6 weeks, closing on the 25^th January.

The Institute will, in 2018, begin to take on responsibilities from the Department for Education (DfE) for technical education and administering the new T level qualifications. Part of this early work involves categorising occupations into groups which demand similar knowledge, skills and behaviours – the resulting ‘occupational maps’ will help provide a structure around which the T level curriculum will be built.

Ownership of the occupational maps has transferred to the Institute and we are now seeking views on how they might be improved. Input from employers, awarding bodies, teachers and further education specialists and all involved in technical education will help the Institute create a robust basis upon which T levels can flourish.

Speaking ahead of the consultation launch Antony Jenkins, Chair of the Institute for Apprenticeships said:

These maps will not only help provide the context in which T levels apply to different industries and occupations, but also help determine the skills and training expected to be delivered as part of each separate qualification. It all starts here.

We need the views of everyone involved at all stages of technical education and employment, from the classroom to the boardroom. I urge everyone to make their voice heard and work with us to help create a truly world-class technical education system.

A Department for Education spokesperson said:

T levels will help to deliver a world class technical education system in our country and make sure that young people have the skills that employers and our economy need.

This consultation is another step forward in introducing the 15 new technical routes which will bring together the expertise of industry, employers and education specialists. We would very much welcome views from the sector to develop this important stage of delivering T levels.

There are 15 different occupational maps which show ‘occupations’ – not qualifications or specific jobs.

The maps capture technical occupations which require substantive training and have been grouped with occupations that share similar knowledge, skills and behaviours.

All apprenticeships are included in these maps as occupations.

An occupation occurs only once on the maps.

Titles of apprenticeship standards are fixed and cannot be changed until a broader review of the standard takes place.

The occupational maps are live documents and will change as proposals for new apprenticeship standards are approved and to reflect the outcomes of any reviews.

A Department for Education consultation on the implementation of T level programmes is currently open. The consultation closes 8^th February 2018.