The latest APPG for T-levels took place today (15 September) to celebrate T-level courses having been established for a year.
It was also the inaugural meeting of the newly elected chair, Christian Wakeford. A member of the Education Select Committee and Conservative MP for Bury South, who welcomed attendees to the meeting to celebrate both the anniversary of the first T-levels and also their expansion into several new fields.
Gatsby’s Jenifer Burden MBE described the Foundation’s work with FE providers and local partners who are collaborating at a local level to successfully introduce T-levels.
Collin Wood, Chief Executive at Aecom, spoke of how he and his organisation were committed to supporting young people, not only by bringing them into the workplace but also by ensuring they had the support required to develop their skills throughout their careers.
David Russell, CEO of the Education and Training Foundation (ETF) emphasised the importance of our teaching workforce in implementing T-levels. On behalf of DfE, the ETF is delivering a substantial T Level Professional Development (TLPD) programme to ensure practitioners have all the skills, knowledge, and confidence they need to deliver the new qualifications.
Gillian Keegan, Minister for Apprenticeships and Skills, said it was very exciting to now be in the position where we are discussing how to build on the success of the past year. She also emphasised the importance of making T-level qualifications available to all students as soon as possible, so that they can benefit from these high-quality programmes.
Katie, Max and Kim, three students on the Education and Childcare T-level, were also present to speak about their experiences of the first year of their programme. All three spoke of how they have benefited from employer engagement and industry placements. They also expressed that industry placements had provided them with key skills and knowledge they were able to apply and build upon on placement. As such, they felt they had the confidence to either enter the workplace or pursue higher education after the completion of their T-levels.
Jenifer Burden MBE shared that industry placement is a key aspect of strong technical education systems around the world. The Capacity and Delivery Fund, which was made available before the rollout of T-levels, has enabled FE providers to facilitate employer engagement, student preparation, curriculum planning and the development of processes necessary to build industry placements.
Gillian Keegan agreed that while access to quality education was key to driving social mobility, having access to the workplace and the tools to progress, was vital.
To receive the latest updates on the T-level APPG, please follow @TlevelsAPPG on Twitter.
Gatsby is working with further education providers and employer organisations to ensure the successful implementation of technical education reform and T-level programmes. A collection of videos demonstrating good practice, and testimonies from students, providers and employers is currently available online via the link below:
