Leading industry experts to design new T Levels

New T Level panel members announced including key individuals from The British Council, Toni & Guy and the Dogs Trust

The biggest shake-up of technical education in decades has moved a step closer today (10 September), as more leading employers throw their weight behind the development of new world-class T Levels.

Industry experts, including celebrity hairdresser Lee Stafford, have been appointed to chair new panels which will lead work on designing the content of the next set of new T Levels so that young people will gain the skills employers and the country need for the future.

From 2022 young people choosing to study the Hair, Beauty and Aesthetics T Level can be confident that they have been developed by world-famous businesses including Toni and Guy; those who opt for an Animal Care and Management T Level will be studying programmes designed by the Dogs Trust; and those looking to develop skills by studying the Human Resources T Level will have had their courses developed by experts from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

Welcoming the new panel members, Apprenticeships and Skills Minister Anne Milton said:

I am thrilled these talented industry experts have come on board to help make T Levels a success. They will play a key role in creating a world-class technical education system for our country.

Introducing T Levels is a once in a generation moment. The direct experience of panel members will help to create gold-standard T Levels that give young people the skills that employers need.

Lee Stafford, owner and founder of Lee Stafford products and Lee Stafford Education, said:

The youth will be responsible for keeping British hairdressing the best on this planet. We are responsible for helping to shape the youth, which is why I wanted to get involved in the development of T Levels. I’m over the moon to be chairing the T Level Hair, Beauty and Aesthetics employer panel as I believe T Levels will offer amazing opportunities for young people.

Dr Steve Dowbiggin OBE, former Principal of Capel Manor College and now business owner with 50 years’ experience in the land-based sector, said:

I am delighted to be chairing the Agriculture, Land Management and Production T Level employer panel, as I am convinced that T Levels will be of major benefit to the Agriculture, Horticulture, Environment and Animal Management and Care sector. This is because T Levels will ensure that the workforce has the experience and qualifications to enable employers to realise the opportunities offered in a post Brexit world. Those gaining T Levels will have achieved a gold standard in skills and knowledge that will greatly improve their employability, career prospects and professional recognition.

Amy Smith, Head of Talent at Framestore, a leading British visual effects company, said:

The visual effects, games and animation industries represent some of the most rapidly developing and valuable skills to the UK economy. Ensuring that we are encouraging young people of all backgrounds and levels to develop skills for our sector will be crucial to our continuing success and to the success of UK Plc. I am thrilled to have been appointed as Chair of the Media, Broadcast and Production employer panel as this is a unique opportunity to develop qualifications for our sector and to help young people to gain the skills that they need for the future.

Vicky Skinner, Education Manager at Pet Industry Federation, said:

I am delighted to be chairing the Animal Care and Management T Level employer panel. I worked in Further Education for 13 years and more recently with a wide range of animal care employers through my role at the Pet Industry Federation. As a result I can see the difference vocational education can make to a young person’s life and also how it can support the industry, providing individuals with practical skills and knowledge as well as other transferable skills essential when working with animals. The T Level development is an exciting opportunity to help shape vocational education for the next generation ensuring it meets the needs of an evolving sector.

The employer led panels announced today will shape new T Level programmes, to be first taught from 2022 in:

• Animal Care and Management;
• Agriculture,
• Land Management and Production;
• Human Resources; Management and Administration;
• Catering; Craft and Design;
• Cultural Heritage and Visitor Attractions;
• Media, Broadcast and Production; and
• Hair, Beauty and Aesthetics

The 9 new panels will join the 16 existing T Level panels that are already up and running, designing the outline content for the first tranche of T Levels, in routes including Digital; Legal, Financial and Accounting; Education and Childcare; Health and Science; Engineering and Manufacturing; and Construction.

T Levels are new programmes which will put the British technical education system on a par with the best in the world. They will be a real alternative to A Levels, providing young people with a genuine choice between technical and academic education post 16.

The first three T Level programmes in Digital, Education and Childcare and Construction will be taught from 2020, with further T Levels delivered from 2021.

The new T Level panel chairs and panel members appointed today can be found here.