Feb 9, 2023
A new working group made up of EngineeringUK, Enginuity (and the National Manufacturing Skills Task Force), Make UK, and Royal Academy of Engineering has been established to support employers in the engineering and manufacturing industries to successfully take on, and embed, T Levels into their businesses.
The group – supported by the Department for Education and the Gatsby Charitable Foundation – believes the engineering and manufacturing T Levels could be the key to unleashing the sector’s future skills potential and are putting their collective weight behind ensuring employers within their networks have the tools and information required to benefit from everything the qualification has to offer.
What are T Levels?
T Levels were introduced in September 2020 as a core element of the new system for technical education in England, sitting alongside A Levels and apprenticeships as the main technical qualification option for students at age 16.
The courses have been designed with employers to provide students with the vital knowledge and skills needed to succeed in their industry and include a 45-day industry placement. The placement gives employers in the engineering and manufacturing industries access to vital additional resources as well as the opportunity to assess a student’s capability with a view to future recruitment. They can also lead to long-term partnerships with colleges and schools, unlocking more opportunities to build their talent pipeline and to shape the skills being taught in their local area.
The first engineering and manufacturing courses started in September 2022, with students able to choose from: design and development; maintenance, installation and repair; and engineering, manufacturing, processing and control.
What the partnership intends to achieve
Over the next 2 years, the working group will focus on ensuring the successful implementation of T Levels via 4 core strands:
- Awareness-raising activity to ensure employers understand the key elements and benefits of T Levels.
- Projects with employers to increase the number of engineering and manufacturing T Level industry placements available to students.
- Collaborating on the creation of resources to support teaching of the T Levels.
- Careers information and progression materials for current and prospective T Level students.
