2020 is to see further education providers teach T Levels which will benefit from a £38m funding boost to help build new classrooms
Benefits will include refurbishing buildings and upgrading equipment to deliver the new qualifications. The T Level Capital Fund was announced by the Chancellor in the 2018 Budget. It is designed to make sure young people taking the new technical courses have access to industry standard equipment and high quality facilities so they gain the skills and knowledge employers demand.
T Levels will be the technical equivalent to A Levels, combining classroom theory, practical learning and industry placement. The first T Level courses in education, construction and digital will be taught by over 50 further education and post-16 providers from September 2020.
The T Level Capital Fund will be delivered in two parts. From Thursday 30th January, eligible further education providers are being invited to bid for funding to refurbish their existing buildings or to build new spaces.
Funding for specialist equipment such as digital and audiovisual kits will be allocated to all providers in spring 2020. Apprenticeships and Skills Minister, Anne Milton said: “T Levels are a once in a generation opportunity to transform technical education in this country.
“They will give young people the opportunity to gain the skills they need to get a great job, go on to do a higher level apprenticeship or further study.
“It will be vital that they have access to the latest, high-quality equipment and state-of-the-art facilities during their studies. The T Level Capital Fund will help those further education providers at the forefront of delivering these important reforms to be ready to teach T Levels from September 2020.”
To support the further education sector to deliver the new T Level programmes, the government will provide an additional £500m every year once they are all fully rolled out.
The government will also be investing £20m to help prepare the sector for the introduction of T Levels. This includes the £5m Taking Teaching Further programme, which aims to attract more industry experts to work in the sector.
