What are T levels and what do they mean for teachers?

 

T levels are similar to A levels and BTECs and provide an alternative route into university. However, the main difference is that they also include a 45-day placement in a relevant workplace, which means students can benefit from added experience that is not available with A levels. 

 

According to gov.uk, T levels are part of the Department for Education?s strategy to streamline and improve the quality of the post-16 qualifications system, strengthening progression pathways and creating clearly defined academic and technical routes leading to further study and/or skilled employment. 

 

 

The aim of T-Levels, then, is to help children make more informed choices about their career pathway, as well as to provide workplace experience that employers look for when it comes to hiring.

In short, two-year T level courses are:

 

 

T levels are an alternative to A levels, apprenticeships, and other 16 to 19 courses. Equivalent in size to three A levels, a T level instead focusses more on vocational skills, and are designed to help students into skilled employment, higher study, or apprenticeships.

 

 

Unlike apprenticeships which see students spend 20% of their time in the classroom and 80% of their time at work, T level students will spend 80% of the course in a learning environment gaining the skills that employers need, and the other 20% of their time in a meaningful industry placement where they can put those skills into action. 

 

 

Each T level includes an in-depth industry placement lasting at least 45 days. This way, students benefit from valuable experience in the workplace, whilst employers also benefit from having early sight of emerging talent in their industry.

 

 

T levels are being gradually rolled out, with the first three T levels having been launched in September 2020, and a further seven introduced in September 2021.

 

This year, an additional six T levels have been launched, and the remaining seven will begin in September 2023.

 

 

?Having always inherently recruited within Secondary education, the introduction of T Levels alongside more vocational courses offered post-16 means that we are widening our Secondary sector to include recruitment within Further Education. Being specialists within education requires us to be up to date with alternative routes within Education to support our intended partnership with educational providers across the South West, and therefore being knowledgeable about T levels is really important to us. We were founded by teachers for teachers, so knowing our subject is a requirement for every consultant here, even more so when it is a new or re-opening desk.?

 

 

If you?re interested in teaching T levels, The Education and Training Foundation (ETF) have information on their website to support you down this path. 

 

The ETF has been supporting the delivery of T levels since 2019, and was awarded a four-year contract in February 2020 to continue to support providers, leaders, and practitioners to deliver these new courses:

 

 

 

At Class People, our goal is simple: to work in partnership with both teachers and schools, offering a personal bespoke service to all. 

 

Following the summer break, we have registered a lot of fantastic teachers who are already building relationships with various schools and making a difference in children?s education. 

 

We are always on the lookout for secondary teachers for both part-time and full-time, temporary, and permanent positions. 

 

So, if you?re looking for your next role in secondary or further education, or want to find out more about the rollout of T levels in the UK and how it might affect your career, get in touch with our team today.