Employers

T Levels are a new, two-year qualification for 16 to 19-year-olds. These ‘Gold Standard’ technical qualifications are based on a set of standards developed by employers; the same standards as those used in apprenticeships.

Each T Level comprises 80% classroom and workshop-based learning, and 20% industry placement. This placement, of approximately 45 days, provides learners with meaningful experience working within an industry relevant to their T Level programme.

Employers have helped to develop the T Level technical qualification content and their continued involvement is essential to the further development and validation of course content along with assessments and grading.

How can Employers get involved with T Levels?

Our Employer Industry Boards (EIB) give employers a voice in skills development. EIBs are formed of a group of trusted representatives from a range of sectors. The groups meet approximately quarterly to carry out in-depth analysis and debate. We currently have EIBs within the following sectors:

Find out more about Employer Industry Boards

We’re currently looking for new members to join and support our Employer Industry Boards. If you are interested in becoming an industry board member, please complete this expression of interest form.

We are now in the delivery phase with nearly all T Level Technical Qualification pathways, with only Animal Care and Management still in development. It’s essential that we continue to engage with employers, technical experts and decision-makers working within industry to join our validation groups for each T Level pathway.

Validation involves reviewing content, assessments and grade boundaries, and providing feedback either as part of a group meeting online or by completing online forms. There are around five sessions per project, each of which takes no longer than two hours. An introductory onboarding session is held for all those who are new to these activities, which takes approximately half a day.

Hear from some industry members who have been involved in these activities.

If you work within any of the above sectors and would like to find out more or apply for our Development Consultant or Employer Contributor roles, please visit our associate vacancies webpage.

If you’d prefer to have an informal chat with one of our Industry Managers to find out more about getting involved, please complete our expression of interest form, and one of our Industry Managers will get in touch.

Expression of interest form

All T Level programmes include 45 days of industry placement and can now be offered with up to two employers. The aim of this extended placement is to develop the practical and technical skills required for the occupation.

If you are an employer in England, you can offer an industry placement to a T Level learner.

You can find out more about offering a placement to a T Level learner on the government website.

Reports and articles

Use your expertise to help develop qualifications - We need experts from industry-leading organisations to help shape T Level technical qualifications.

How can the land-based sector become a dream career destination for young people in the UK? - And how can T Levels help? There are hundreds of land-based careers that the average teenager probably hasn’t considered, and the right T Level pathway could provide that introduction. Read our latest article, highlighting both the opportunities for learners and the opportunities for employers and industry members.

Engineering and Manufacturing T Level - Exeter College tutors and students, and local employers, share how the Maintenance, Installation, and Repair pathway is getting learners ready for industry.

5 ways to engage with T Levels as an employer or industry expert - As an employing organisation or industry member, there are many ways you can engage with the development and review of T Levels qualifications. T Levels are built around the same set of employer-led standards as apprenticeships, which puts businesses at their core.

From qualification validation to hosting industry placements, find out how you can get involved to ensure that T Levels meet the needs of industry.

Building the future: How T Levels could change the face of construction - The new technical qualifications will be crucial to developing construction’s next generation but they will need employing organisation input to succeed.

Helpful links

Employer support fund - This guidance will help T Level providers to understand how the employer support fund works. New guidance reveals that employers can claim up to £25,000 for costs relating to industry placements that start between 1 April 2023, and 31 March 2024.

Industry placement: Guidance for providers and employers - This guidance outlines the key roles and responsibilities for providers and employers in delivering high-quality placements at each stage of the placement i.e., pre, during, and post-placement. It also sets out information about what must happen when students have been unable to complete the minimum placement hours before the end of the second year of the T Level programme.

Employer support fund: funding rules - This temporary support fund has been set up to help employers with the extra costs of providing T Level industry placements. The funding is for providers to make payments to employers who provide an industry placement, to cover legitimate costs. It must not be used to pay for providers’ own costs.

Onsite Construction and Building Services Engineering

From plumbing and bricklaying to heating and ventilation, our level 3 T Level technical qualifications in onsite construction and building services engineering deliver opportunities for learners looking to enter the construction industry.

Find out more

Engineering and Manufacturing

Learners can pick from three pathways depending on their interests: Maintenance, Installation & Repair; Engineering, Manufacturing, Processing & Control or Design & Development.

Find out more

Management and Administration

The qualification will provide learners with an understanding of the Management and Administration sector, and you will cover topics such as: Business Context, People, Quality Compliance, Project, and Change Management.

Find out more

Agriculture, Environmental and Animal Care

With two pathways, the Agriculture, Environment and Animal Care T Level will provide learners with the technical knowledge and practical skills valued by industry. Agriculture, Land Management and Production is now in delivery. Animal Care and Management is in development and is due for first delivery in September 2024.

Find out more

“As the chair of the Building Services Engineering Employer Industry Board and an employer within the Electrotechnical industry I see T Levels as a good opportunity to raise standards and expectations within our industry, allowing learners the opportunity to gain a starting position and enabling them to progress onto an apprenticeship standard. The sector is evolving and becoming more dynamic as employers we need to help and promote this initiative as best as we can.” David Barlow, Owner at Barlow’s.

“Writing as President of the Institute of Carpenters (IOC), at a time in the UK when there is such an acute craft skills shortage in Carpentry, Joinery and woodworking skills in general. Educationally, T Levels present an excellent fresh and positive change of direction, in order to help raise standards and develop young people’s career opportunities. Learners deserve the chance now to have an appropriate entry point and the chance to then progress further, onto and up to a valid apprenticeship level. The whole industry needs to embrace this initiative, support the scheme, the student learners and to promote it widely with confidence.” Geoff Rhodes, President at Institute of Carpenters.