CDI TECH FEST: DIGITAL T LEVELS

WHAT ARE T LEVELS?

New, two year

technical education

courses for 16-19 year

olds that follow GCSEs

Developed in

collaboration with

employers, so that the

content meets the

needs of industry and

prepares students for

work

Course includes a

mixture of classroom

learning (80%) and

‘on-the-job’ experience

(20%) during an

industry placement of a

minimum of 45 days

T Levels comprise a

mix of practical tasks,

projects and exams

Progression options

include skilled

employment, further

study or a higher

apprenticeship (T

Levels will attract

UCAS points in line

with A levels)

More rigorous and

substantial than most

existing technical

qualifications, with

longer teaching time –

one T Level is

equivalent to 3 A

levels.

T Levels offer a broad

course content, and

students will take an

occupational

specialism during their

programme.

Based on the same

employer-led

standards as

Apprenticeships, but

will suit different

learning styles.

T LEVEL INDUSTRY PLACEMENT ENGLISH AND MATHS

REQUIREMENTS

• Students required to achieve a

level 2 in English and maths

• Either GCSE (grade 4 and

above) or level 2 Functional

Skills (pass)

T LEVEL PROGRAMME1800 Hrs over 2 years

TECHNICAL QUALIFICATION (TQ) 900-1400 GLH

OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALISM• At least half of the qualification

• Knowledge and skills required to enter

employment in that occupational specialism

• As close to full competence as possible

• English, maths and digital competence integrated

where relevant

CORE• Up to half the qualification

• Knowledge and understanding of the

concepts, theories and principles relevant to

that sector

• Assessed through an external examination

and a substantial project

• Between 315-420 hours

• Undertaken with an external

employer

• Chance to apply skills and apply

knowledge in a workplace

environment

• Support for travel and subsistence

costs but employers not expected to

pay students

ADDITIONAL MANDATORY

REQUIREMENTS

• Occupation-specific

requirements included

where possible if essential

to enter employment

• The Outline Content for Technical Qualifications also includes digital skills that

are specific for each T Level

• These are approved by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical

Education Route Panels and embedded in each Technical Qualification

• These skills are implicitly taught and are in addition to the minimum maths and

English requirements for the overall T Level

• The teaching and assessment of these skills is contextualised

General digital competencies

1. Use digital technology and media effectively

2. Design, create and edit documents and digital media

3. Communicate and collaborate

ALL T LEVELS INCLUDE DIGITAL SKILLS THAT ARE RELEVANT TO THE OCCUPATIONS IN QUESTION

4. Process and analyse numerical data

5. Be safe and responsible online

6. Code and program

HOW DO T LEVELS DIFFER FROM APPRENTICESHIPS AND CURRENT VOCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS?

Apprenticeships• Based on the same employer led standards

• Will suit different learning styles

• Apprenticeships are paid work, suitable for

students who know what occupation they want to

pursue

• T Levels will offer a broader course content, and

students will specialise later in their programme.

Apprenticeships content is narrower and focussed

on a specific occupation from the outset

• T Levels are largely classroom based, with a

substantive industry placement

• On completion of their course, T Level students

will be ready to start work in their chosen area.

Apprentices will be occupationally competent on

completion of their course

Current vocational qualifications• T Level content is designed by panels

of employers and other experts

• With longer teaching hours, higher

standards and a meaningful industry

placement, T Levels will be more

rigorous and occupationally-relevant

than many current vocational courses

• The industry placement of around 9

weeks will give students a meaningful

insight into work, helping them to gain

the confidence needed to enter

employment

T LEVELS: PROGRESSION OPTIONS

Skilled Employment

• T Level content designed by

employers to facilitate direct

progression into skilled

employment

• Core content provides

underpinning knowledge and

breadth of skills to support

adaptability - Occupational

Specialisms develop technical

competence

• Industry Placement provides

direct experience of the

workplace

Apprenticeships

• Many T Level students will be able to move on to

a relevant apprenticeship at level 4 or higher

technical education

• In some cases a student might want the

opportunity to work in a different / more specialist

area, which might mean taking an apprenticeship

at level 3 or below. This would take into account

prior learning gained through the T Level (while still

needing to meet the minimum 12 month duration)

• A T Level student would be able to move on to an

apprenticeship at the same or lower level than a

qualification they already hold, if the apprenticeship

allows the individual to acquire substantive new

skills and the content of the training is materially

different from any prior qualification or a previous

apprenticeship

Higher Education

• We expect T Levels to provide a route to higher technical education at levels 4-6

• HE providers set their own admissions criteria. We are talking to universities and HE

providers now about the HE courses a T Level student would be suited to

• T levels will attract UCAS points. This will support progression into HE and help HE

providers align T Levels with other qualifications in their admissions

T LEVELS: PROGRESSION OPTIONS

UCAS tariff

points

T Level overall grade A level

168 Distinction*

(A* on the core and distinction in

the occupational specialism)

A*A*A*

144 Distinction AAA

120 Merit BBB

96 Pass (C or above on the core) CCC

72 Pass (D or E on the core) DDD

• UCAS points will be

awarded to the overall T

Level grade, not to separate

components

• The tariff is based on an

alignment of intended

standards with other Level 3

qualifications, including A

levels

Supporting and Mentoring Students in

Further and Higher Education -

Occupational Specialism planned

for 2021 delivery

THE FIRST THREE T LEVELS WERE LAUNCHED IN SEPTEMBER 2020

EDUCATION &

CHILDCARE

T LEVEL

Early Years

Education &

Childcare

Assisting Teaching

DIGITAL PRODUCTION,

DESIGN &

DEVELOPMENT

T LEVEL

Digital Production,

Design and

Development

DESIGN, SURVEYING

& PLANNING FOR

CONSTRUCTION

T LEVEL

SURVEYING AND

DESIGN FOR

CONSTRUCTION AND

THE BUILT

ENVIRONMENT

CIVIL ENGINEERING

BUILDING SERVICES

DESIGN

HAZARDOUS

MATERIALS ANALYSIS

AND SURVEYING

T Level

subjects

T Level students

will choose one

of these

occupational

specialisms:

HEAR FROM ONE OF THE STUDENTS

NOW DOING THE FIRST DIGITAL T

LEVEL…

INDUSTRY PLACEMENTS

Benefits tostudents

Progression

opportunities

Knowledge and

skills development

Develops

employability skills

Helps to inform career

aspirations

Develops technical

skills relevant to field

of study

Real experience of the

workplace

• Minimum of 315 hours (approx. 45

working days)

• Occupationally specific – focussed on

developing practical and technical skills

required for the profession or trade that

the student is studying for

• Real environment – placement should be

with an employer in a real life working

environment

• Extensive research and engagement with

stakeholders – and pilot programme

tested different models

• T Level provider is responsible for finding

the placement

• There is no legal requirement or

expectation that T Level students will

be paid – but employers can choose to if

they wish.

Benefits toemployers

Gain extra

resources for day-

to-day projects

Build

recruitment

pipeline of

talent

Providing a positive

experience for a local

young person

Attract motivated

young people -

bringing

imaginative and

new ideas

Building a more

diverse and

creative workforce

Give staff the opportunity

to upskill in coaching and

mentoring

T LEVEL DELIVERY MOVING FORWARD

Preparing for 2021 and 2022 delivery• 64 providers delivering in 2021 (7 further T Levels)

• 87 providers delivering in 2022 (6 further T Levels)

• Providers selected through expressions of interest and had to meet a set of quality criteria

• Appointed the AoC to support providers as numbers increase

Managing registrations for 2023 delivery• For 2023 delivery, providers

currently delivering 16-19 study

programmes will be eligible to

deliver T Levels that were

introduced in 2020 and 2021

• T Levels introduced in 2022 and

2023 will be able to be delivered by

Ofsted Good and Outstanding

providers only

2024 delivery• By 2024, T Levels will be available

to be delivered by all providers

delivering 16-19 study programmes.

WHERE CAN I ACCESS FURTHER INFORMATION AND SUPPORT?

T Levels Website

• www.tlevels.gov.uk – Aimed at students and employers and includes a function to search for your nearest T Level provider. Contact your nearest provider for information on the courses they are offering

Resources for teachers and careers advisers

• www.amazingapprenticeships.com/tlevels - Resources for teachers and careers advisers, including:

• A teachers’ guide to T Levels booklet

• A new film showing T Level teachers, employers and students explaining T Levels

• T Level posters

• T Level course outline sheets for courses from September 2021

• Further resources being developed include a digital toolkit for teachers and activity packs for students.