UK: £135m boost to support T Level students to succeed

A multi-million pound fund has been launched today (13 January) aimed at making sure young people studying pioneering new T Level qualifications from 2022 have access to world class facilities and equipment.

The new technical qualifications – equivalent to three A Levels – combine classroom study with industry placements so that students gain the skills and experience they need to progress into work, further study or an apprenticeship.

T Level courses have been co-created with over 250 employers including Fujitsu and Amazon so they generate the skilled workforce that businesses need for the future. The first three T Levels in Design, Surveying and Planning for Construction, Digital Production, Design and Development and Education and Childcare were introduced in September 2020. A further seven will be available from 2021 in subjects including Health, Science and Onsite Construction and subjects including Finance, Media and Legal will be introduced from 2022 and 2023.

From today, T Level providers across the country can bid for a share of £135 million, through the T Level Capital Fund, to upgrade classrooms and buildings in readiness for students starting courses in September 2022. Part of this funding will also be made available to pay for specialist kit such as surveying equipment and engineering tools to make sure students have access to the industry standard devices they need to be ready for the workplace.

The funding announced today brings the total capital investment by the government to support T Levels to over quarter of a billion pounds.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said:

The successful launch of T Levels earlier this year represents the start of a transformation in our technical education system – giving young people the vital skills they need to get ahead and giving employers the talented workforce they need to thrive as we build back better from the pandemic.

To deliver world class qualifications providers need to have world class facilities and cutting-edge equipment, this funding will help to make sure students have the skills and knowledge to succeed when they finish their T Levels.

The government has also unveiled the first 56 projects for post-16 providers delivering T Levels from September 2021 totalling £48.5m of the £95m announced at Budget 2020. Successful projects include a new civil engineering centre at the Lakes College in Cumbria to support construction T Levels, and a brand new teaching block at Burnley College that will include classrooms, an elite athlete gym and a sports therapy space to support their delivery of health T Levels.

Katy Quinn Principal and CEO of Strode College said:

Strode College were delighted to have benefited from T Level capital funding from the DfE which has allowed us to provide our students with access to high-quality Industrial standard facilities to support their learning and successful career development. We are so pleased to have been able to transform an old, dark and inefficient 1960s building into a bright, modern and airy specialist centre for Digital Media and Technology because of this funding. These new classrooms and facilities have revolutionised learning for students. The next T Level funding we have successfully bid for is for £650k 100% grant funding to build a hospital ward and 4th science lab in E block. Really great news for the College, our staff and students.

T Levels will play a key part in rebuilding the economy after the pandemic, boosting access to high quality technical education for thousands of young people across the country. The progress made so far on delivering the new qualifications is outlined in the latest T Level Action Plan, including an update on the launch of the first three T Levels in September 2020, and the criteria for providers wishing to deliver in 2023 and beyond.