A consultation on the content for T levels in five subject areas has been launched. The Institute for Apprenticeships (IfA) is consulting on the proposed outline content for T levels in building-services engineering, digital business services, health, healthcare science, and science, all of which are due to be taught from 2021 onward.

This second wave of subjects will start a year after the first wave is due to begin in 2020, and was announced by Damian Hinds earlier this month; the education secretary had also announced that each T-level programme would carry the same Ucas points “as three A levels”.

The new two-year technical study programmes will be available across 11 industry routes and, according to the government, will be one of the three major options available to people aged 16-19.

The IfA’s consultation will close on 17 January.

Sir Gerry Berragan, chief executive of the institute, said: “It is so important that we have a world-class technical education teaching offer. We know that as a nation we are being held back by a shortage of skills and T levels will have a key part to play in changing that. Your involvement as leaders in helping to develop the content is invaluable and I hope you will be able to stay engaged for a long time to come.”