At this year’s Labour Party Conference, the Education Policy Institute (EPI) has partnered with the Northern Council for Further Education (NCFE) to host an open fringe panel discussion: Evolution not revolution: making T Levels work for all.
Since their initial rollout in September 2020, T Levels have continued to generate much interest and discussion and, as we approach two years on, it is timely to take stock of their success. Developed in collaboration with employers and education providers so that the content meets the current and future skills needs of industry, T Levels are a two-year course, equivalent of three A Levels.
Questions arise over whether academic and technical education should be separated, whether young people are equipped to make decisions about their future careers at 16 years old, and on a practical level, how we can ensure that the 45 days of embedded industry experience is feasible for all learners and useful for both them and employers.
This September will see the first graduates of T Levels taking their next steps, be it into employment, further or higher education, and with this milestone, we will look to evaluate what has gone well and what can be done differently in future.
This panel will bring together policy makers, school / college leaders and learners to discuss how well T Levels have worked to date and to consider what measures need to be taken to make improvements and overcome the challenges ahead.
We are delighted to welcome a fantastic panel of David Gallagher, NCFE; Holly Old, current T Leveller; David Hughes, Association of Colleges; and Toby Perkins MP, Shadow Minister for Skills and Further Education.
** Note: This event will take place in the conference secure zone. To access the secure zone you will need to obtain a pass directly from the Labour Party.**
