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 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 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, and will be first taught from 2022.
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.
Further information: The new T Level panel chairs and panel
members appointed today can be found here.
