T Levels: behind the scenes

The country's creative industries have had an immensely challenging past 18 months thanks to the profound impact of Covid. Clearly, supporting the recovery of this brilliant, endlessly imaginative sector will take time, but there is a wealth of options available to the next generation of young learners who want to play their part.

It was announced in October 2021 that the Northern Council for Further Education (NCFE) had been chosen to deliver the upcoming T Levels for the creative and design route. This includes two specific T Level pathways, in Craft and Design, and Media, Broadcast and Production. These courses will be available to learners from September 2023 onwards and will provide two extremely positive and practical technical educational options for students looking to forge a career in the competitive worlds of theatre, TV, film and more.

How do T Levels work?

A balance of 80 per cent classroom-based, and 20 per cent on-the-job experience, T Levels were launched in September 2020 as an exciting new high-quality, work-focused alternative to A Levels for those aged 16–18. These two-year courses are designed with employers to intimately reflect the current and future skills needs of the sectors and occupations they're designed to serve. Practitioners and employers in these industries now have an opportunity to build and mould future talent by using their expertise to contribute to the content development of the qualification.

These T Levels have been designed to teach vital skills from the creative arts. Taking the Media, Broadcast and Production direction will enable students to pursue options such as sound technician, production manager and director. Meanwhile, the Craft and Design T Level will give students a route into a variety of careers, from jewellery and ceramics makers to textiles and fashion creatives.

After completing their two-year T Level, students will have the necessary knowledge, skills, and behaviours to successfully progress into work or higher-level study. When students pass their T Level, they receive a nationally recognised certificate showing the overall grade they achieved; pass, merit, distinction, or distinction*. This certificate will also give details of what students learned on the course to help them move into skilled employment or a higher apprenticeship. A distinction* secures learners the same number of UCAS points as three A Levels at A*, and will be recognised by universities, other education providers, and employers, meaning students' options are kept open.

A T Level is split into three main sections:

• The technical qualification (TQ) is the main, classroom-based element. Students will learn about their chosen sectors through a curriculum designed with the help of leading employers
• The industry placement (which is the element that sets this learning programme apart from alternative options) runs for a minimum of 315 hours (45 days) overall and will give students practical insights into their sector and an opportunity to embed the knowledge and skills learned in the classroom
• English, maths and digital provision is also built into the classroom-based element of the T Level, meaning students will be given a solid foundation of transferable skills.

The NCFE has already worked with the Government to develop six T Level technical qualifications in sector areas including education and childcare, digital, and health and science. These technical qualifications have now been rolled out to the first cohorts of students by training providers across the country, with great success in year one. What's more, the number of colleges providing T Levels is growing year-on-year, and by 2023, will be available at more than 300 centres across the country. For those who are considering teaching T Levels, the Department for Education (DfE), through the Education Training Foundation (ETF) off ers bespoke support.

What will students learn?

For the Craft and Design route, students will learn about many different sides of the sector, from the make-up of the wider creative economy to understanding the influence different social, political, technological, and economic factors have on culture and creativity. Through this holistic approach to the sector, the T Levels will help students to understand how style, taste and trends emerge and evolve, how they can best meet audience needs, and the skills and attributes they will need to be successful.

After gaining an appreciation of the wider sector, students then gain a deeper understanding of an occupational specialism of their choice. Within the Media, Broadcast and Production pathway, students can choose from three specialisms: creative media technician, events and venues technician and content creation and production. Meanwhile, the Craft and Design T Level will off er four specialisms: jewellery maker, ceramics maker, furniture maker and textiles and fashion maker.

Combined with the insights gained from their work placement, the design of these courses will help students to receive a broad understanding of the sector they wish to work in and allow them to pursue their specific interests after learning this context.

Why T Levels?

It's the balance of high-quality teaching and hands-on experience which make T Levels the ‘gold standard’ qualification which the government envisaged. Though there have been headlines regarding the changes to technical education at Level 3, and the apparent reduction in courses which will be available to learners, T Levels have been developed to ensure colleges can continue to provide trusted, accessible, future-focused, relevant and undeniably enjoyable vocational routes for students to pursue. That can only be a good thing for the next generation of creative talent.

To learn more, please visit www.ncfe.org.uk If you are a practitioner and would like to support the development of these qualifications from the outset, please register your interest by visiting https://ncfe.org.uk/technical-education/t-levels/support-t-levels/