T Level industry placements reformed to reflect modern working practices

Changes have been announced to T Level industry placements that will expand opportunities for businesses to offer placements for students.

In line with industry trends and real-life hybrid working practices most students will now 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. Simulated placement activity on the provider site, for example in a school or college, overseen by an industry placement employer can now also be offered as an alternative for higher risk work, such as in engineering and manufacturing, and can allow T Level students to develop skills in a safer setting. Reducing requirements for T Level placements aims to wider the pool of potential employers where students can learn.

The announcement comes amid T Level Celebration Week, which is running from 2nd to 6th December and celebrates the successes of young people, providers and employers across the country. T Levels are technical qualifications equivalent in value to three A levels, and include a 45 day industry placement in fields such as construction, manufacturing, healthcare, early years education and digital technology.

Jacqui Smith, Minister for Skills and Apprenticeships, 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.“

The number of students taking T Levels has increased every year since they were launched. Over 16,000 students started a T Level in the 2023/24 academic year – almost as many students as in the first three cohorts combined.