cdi tech fest: digital t levels - thecdi.net · cdi tech fest: digital t levels. what are t levels?...
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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.