The Education Secretary, , has today (11 October)
announced the first three T levels, in Digital, Construction, and
Education and Childcare, which will help deliver a generation of
home-grown talent post-Brexit.
The first of the new qualifications, with content developed by
leading industry professionals from companies including Rolls
Royce, Fuijitsu and EDF, will be taught from 2020, with the full
set of T levels introduced by 2022.
First announced in 2016 and backed by £500million every year in
additional funding the qualifications are a key milestone in
transforming technical education in the UK and extends the offer
for young people to study a technical qualification at level 3 -
equivalent to A levels.
Education Secretary, said:
We are transforming technical education in this country,
developing our home grown talent so that our young people have
the world class skills and knowledge that employers need.
As we prepare to leave the EU, it is more important than ever
that we create an outstanding further education and skills
system, giving all young people the opportunity to fulfil their
potential and deliver a better future for our country.
As part of making sure that the technical education ladder
reaches every bit as high as the academic one, I want to see T
levels that are as rigorous and respected as A levels.
Each route groups together related occupations which require
common knowledge, skills and behaviours. These routes are further
broken down into a number of specialisms, clustered together in a
straightforward way so that young people can see a clear path to
the occupation of their choice.
The content of T levels will be developed by newly appointed
panels comprising industry professionals and employers –
including EDF, Rolls Royce, Fujitsu, Lloyds, Morgan Sindall,
Skanska and Morphy Richards – ensuring that they have real
credibility. The Government is today confirming that panels have
been launched across all 6 routes for delivery in 2020 and 2021.
All T level programmes will also include a substantial, high
quality work placement so that students can apply their learning
in a real workplace environment.
Fujitsu’s non-executive Chairman, Simon Blagden, said:
I’m delighted to see the progress that the Department for
Education is making on the implementation of T levels. The
introduction of these technical programmes will provide young
people with skill sets that are valuable and relevant to
employers, helping to create skilled employment opportunities
for school leavers.
In particular, the support being put in place for work
placements will be crucial in ensuring that students are able
to gain experience of a work environment, helping them move
from education to employment in a more seamless manner.
The decision to introduce the new programmes came after an
Independent Panel on technical education, chaired by , in 2016 found that
the existing system was too complex and included too many
qualifications, which did not provide young people with the
necessary skills to excel at work
Lord David Sainsbury, chairman of the Independent Panel on
Technical Education, whose report led to the reforms said:
I am delighted the government is pressing ahead with these
essential reforms to technical education. T levels will
increase the life-chances of many thousands of young people,
while at the same time helping to ensure British industry
remains competitive.
Now that the Government has issued its Action Plan it is
essential that everyone involved starts preparing for the
introduction of T levels. Government, the education sector,
industry, LEPs and Combined Authorities now need to put in the
necessary resources and effort, and not wait until the last
moment before taking the necessary action.
David Hughes, Chief Executive of the Association of Colleges
said:
The publication this week represents a really important step
forward for technical and professional skills training and
education.
Our future economic and social prosperity rely on more people
having higher technical skills and education - both to help
improve productivity and to help people realise their talents
and ambitions.
The new T levels will need to fight hard to gain recognition
and to be valued, but this announcement is a good first step. I
look forward to working with the Government on developing the
pathways from Level 2 through Levels 3, 4 and 5 which are
needed for success.
Neil Carberry, CBI Managing Director for People policy, said:
Businesses will be encouraged by the positive progress on the
introduction of T levels, though there is still much for
companies and the Government to address together. It’s
important that these new technical routes are woven into the
wider education system from the start, to ensure they are
respected and are seen to have the same quality as A levels.
There has never been a more important time to deliver world
class training for our young people in every part of the UK.
Investment in skills by employers and the Government, working
in partnership, is key to giving young people the opportunities
they need to succeed.
The successful completion of a T level will equip students with
the technical knowledge and practical skills necessary to enter
skilled employment.
The full T levels Action Plan is available here
We can confirm today that the following chairs for T level panels
have been appointed:
- Edward Sallis; Education Consultant, Education and Training
Foundation’s Expert Panel on Professional Standards
- Dayle Bayliss; Dayle Bayliss Associates LLP
- David Matthews; Institute of Domestic Heating and
Environmental Engineering
-
Weightman; Boardercraft
Group
- Julie Oxley; Digital Care Consultancy
- John Meech; Fujitsu
- Anna Withrington; IBM
- Mike Westlake ; Autodesk
- Peter Winebloom; EEF Ltd
- Probash Chowdhury; GlaxoSmithKline
- Jane Hadfield; Health Education England
- Hilary Jeffreys; Consultant
- Weiyen Hung; Bank of England
- Maura Sullivan; Banking, UK International Wealth Management
- Cassie Williams; 39 Park Square
