T-level students will be able to complete as much as half their industry placements remotely as part of government reforms designed to cut red tape and boost the number of young people taking them.
In line with industry trends and hybrid working practices, most students will be able to complete up to 20% of their placement hours remotely, rather than having to do them from a physical workplace, with the allowance increased to 50% for digital T-levels.
The government said this will expand opportunities, ensuring even more learners gain the skills needed to reduce the country’s reliance on migrant labour to plug skills gaps.
T-levels are technical qualifications equivalent in value to three A-levels. They include a nine-week industry placement, giving young people workplace experience in fields including construction, manufacturing, healthcare, early years education and digital technology.
Former chancellor Philip Hammond announced the introduction of T-levels in his 2017 Budget, with plans to replace 13,000 BTEC qualifications with T-levels designed to be “more relevant” to employers’ needs. The first cohort of young people to receive T-level qualifications did so in August 2022.
T-level placements
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The number of students taking T-levels has increased every year since. More than 16,000 students started a T-level in the 2023-24 academic year – nearly as many students as in the first three cohorts combined.
Jacqui Smith, skills and apprenticeships minister, said: “We are cutting red tape to make it easier than ever for employers and providers to take part in T-level industry placements while ensuring students benefit from meaningful, high-quality experiences.
“We’ve listened to businesses and these changes reflect what they need to help them offer T-levels and our missions of boosting economic growth and breaking down barriers to opportunity.
“Whether it’s offering remote placements in the fast-evolving digital sector or enabling more simulated environments for industries like engineering, we’re giving students more opportunities to gain the skills and experience they need for their future careers.”
Work placements are a key feature of T-levels, offering students experience in their chosen fields and equipping them with the skills they need.
A 2023 report by the education watchdog Ofsted found that at their best, T-levels combined high-quality study and practical skills development. But at their worst, the courses were not what students expected and many reported being misled about their content.
The Department for Education is now also making it possible to carry out simulated placement activity in a school or college, where their industry placement employer oversees this.
Elaine Billington, chief people officer at National Highways, said: “Having flexibilities in areas such as remote placements and placements at route level will support us in growing the number and type of placements we offer.
“Being able to do this is important to us as placements support us in developing the skills that we need now and in the future, and builds talent pipelines for the critical roles we need in our sector.”
Andrew Hockey, chief executive of the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB), said: “The Department for Education’s decision to allow supervised simulated placements on training provider sites is a breakthrough the ECITB has long championed for our sector.
“This change, particularly valuable for high-hazard industries like engineering construction, will enable T-level students to gain hands-on experience in a safe and controlled environment.
“Combined with flexible remote options and route-level placements, employers can now offer more comprehensive industry experience. These changes will help to better prepare students and give employers confidence in supporting T-level placements across our industry.”
The DfE said the increased flexibility will also benefit SMEs that often face barriers such as limited office space, helping to grow the pool of potential employers and creating more opportunities for students.
Most work placements will no longer be restricted to the specific T-level subject being studied by students, with students now able to gain experience across related subjects within their chosen field. However, this will not apply to T-levels in education and dental nursing specialisms, which have specific requirements related to licences to practise.
National Foundation for Educational Research director Suzanne Straw welcomed the reforms. “Being able to complete the 40-day industrial placement is an integral element of the T-level qualification,” she said.
“As T-level numbers increase, finding suitable placements has become increasingly challenging. Adopting real-life hybrid working practices where students will be able to complete some of their placement remotely will help make placements easier to secure and more accessible for students, as well as better prepare them for the workplace.
“However, it is crucial that placements remain of high quality and learners are provided with sufficient support when working remotely.”
The DfE will publish detailed guidance next month, which will take effect immediately.
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