New ‘gold standard’ T Levels are high-quality technical alternatives to A Levels

Expression of Interest process for 2022 #TLevel providers: Third wave of further education providers invited to teach pioneering new T Levels from 2022 

Further education colleges and other post-16 providers are being urged to sign up to teach the next wave of the government’s new T Levels by Education Secretary Gavin Williamson.

More than 100 further education providers are already gearing up to deliver the new qualifications – developed hand in hand with leading employers – so young people gain the skills and knowledge that industry need to build workforce of the future.

Students will be able to study the first three T Levels in Design, Surveying and Planning, Digital Production, Design and Development, and Education from this September, with a further seven including three in health and science taught from 2021.

Today (9 Jan) the government is inviting high performing providers to apply to teach the third wave of eight T Levels including Legal, Accounting, and Manufacturing, Processing and Control from 2022, in addition to the 10 T Levels that will already on offer from 2020 and 2021.  

The government is investing significantly in technical education and training including T Levels. The Chancellor announced an additional £400 million boost for 16 to 19 education in 2020-21, including £25 million to support the first T Level providers to deliver high-quality courses.

New ‘gold standard’ T Levels are high-quality technical alternatives to A Levels, combining classroom theory, practical learning and an industry placement to give students the skills they need to land great jobs and flourish, as well as levelling up the country’s skills and improving Britain’s productivity.

Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson, said:

“T Levels will radically shake up technical education as we know it.

“From the very start, we’ve worked hand in hand with further education providers and leading employers to ensure these courses will give young people the skills and experience to land them great jobs and provide employers with the workforce they need to make sure this country continues to thrive on the global stage. 

“This is a brilliant opportunity for further education providers to be at the forefront of delivering these new courses and help build a world class technical education system that will benefit generations to come.”

Further education providers who are interested in applying to teach T Levels from 2022 can see the eligibility criteria and how to apply here.

Expressions of Interest will need to be made by Midnight on 28 February 2020. 

The remaining seven T levels, including courses in Agriculture, Environment and Animal Care, Catering and Hospitality, Creative and Media, and Hair and Beauty, will be rolled out from 2023, bringing the total to 25.

A unique part of T Levels will be the completion of a high-quality industry placement – lasting at least 315 hours, or approximately 45 days – in which students will build the vital knowledge and skills they need to get ahead in the workplace.

Collaboration with employers proving important part of #TLevel preparations: As the detail of T Levels has been announced, a considerable amount of attention has been focused on the industry placement element of the courses. As we all now understand,… https://t.co/5Vw8nmoX9g pic.twitter.com/n4Wf3un9Wp

— FE News – The #FutureofEducation News Channel (@FENews) January 9, 2020

T Levels will carry UCAS point’s equivalent to 3 A levels. This means young people, parents and employers can be confident T Levels will be just as stretching as their academic equivalents, and will offer students the option of progressing to the next level, whether that is a job, higher technical training, a degree or an apprenticeship.