Apprenticeships and skills minister Gillian Keegan has set out the strategic guidance for the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education for 2021-22 through to 2023-24 - including T levels for adults and flexible apprenticeship options.

In a letter to the institute, she says it has made “great strides” towards ensuring that skills provision is employer-centred, high-quality and reflects the needs of a modern and competitive economy.

She writes: “It is to your credit that you have delivered the technical qualifications that have allowed the first T levels courses to be taught from September 2020 and launched an approval process for qualifications at levels 4 and 5 that gives students and employers confidence in the consistency and quality of higher technical education.

“The flexibilities you introduced to apprenticeships assessment have meant that many apprentices have continued to complete their apprenticeships despite the disruption caused by the pandemic. This was delivered alongside your continuing improvements to ensure apprenticeships remain a high-value, high-quality product.”

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Setting out what the DfE wants the IfATE to deliver next year, she adds that to support the department’s strategic ambition for skills over the next three years, “this year’s guidance provides an indication of what the Institute is expected to achieve by 2023-24, so you can build that mid-term view into your strategic planning and resourcing profile”.

Apprenticeships: IfATE priorities from the DfE

Clear progression paths for career-led learning

• In 2021-22, the institute is asked to create a strong foundation for apprenticeships and the technical education system by developing a comprehensive set of high-quality, employer-owned standards that encourage take-up and enable progression and the adoption of emerging skills needs. To achieve this, the institute will develop occupational standards that reflect the occupational requirements of employers of all sizes and are of appropriate quality. They should also form the basis of T levels, higher technical qualifications and other technical qualifications.
• By 2023-24, the institute is expected to deliver standards that are widely used and recognised by employers of all sizes, maintained to protect quality, available in all identified occupations and which reflect the current and emerging requirements of employers, transferable to other routes.
• In 2021-22, the institute is asked to revise and publish occupational maps that embrace all technical qualifications and standards approved by the institute. They will be updated to respond to changes in technical education and apprenticeships options. 
• By 2023-24 the institute is expected to work with the department to develop a set of occupational maps that provide a coherent picture of the technical education landscape.

Up-to-date occupation-specific skills that the economy needs to build back better

• In 2021-22 the institute is asked to prioritise the development and revision of standards that support economic recovery and meet the future skills needs of the country, including carbon reduction and technological advances.
• In 2021-22 the institute is asked to support skills-led recovery in high employment growth sectors by linking new non-qualifications-based skills provision to occupational standards.
• By 2023-24 the institute is expected to have assisted with the development of effective and proven arrangements for aligning pre-apprenticeship provision with standards; assisted the department in the development of sector-specific traineeship models in multiple sectors; and provided advice and assistance on future development and assessment of NSF Skills Bootcamps, including published guidance for future bidders on best practice for aligning provision to the relevant employer-led standard.
• In 2021-22 the institute is asked to contribute to the development and promotion of more flexible models of apprenticeship delivery. To achieve this, the institute will encourage employers and providers to deliver more apprenticeships that are tailored to meet the needs of individual apprentices and sectors. “This includes through increased use of front-loaded training and setting out detail on how other technical qualifications link to standards to enable rapid progression into accelerated apprenticeships.” 
• By 2023-24 the institute is expected to have assisted with increasing the take-up of flexibilities in apprenticeships. “Clear progression routes will be established from other technical education offers, joining up the skills landscape.”
• In 2021-22 the institute is asked to deliver an apprenticeship funding band recommendations methodology that supports uptake of high-quality apprenticeships.
• By 2023-24 the institute is expected to have all standards receiving risk-based, timely funding band reviews, prioritised to support uptake and value for money.

Technical education products that provide reliable assessment and certification and are valued by learners and employers

• In 2021-22 the institute is asked to support and commence implementation of the post-16 qualifications review and Skills for Jobs White Paper to ensure a streamlined, high-quality level 2 and level 3 skills offer for ages 16-19 and adults. The IfATE will “take forward agreed qualifications review plans and processes, with regard to wave 1 and 2 T levels, to support the defunding of overlapping technical qualifications for 16-19 and approve relevant reformed qualifications for the 2023-24 academic year, subject to the outcome of the consultation and any future legislation.”
• By 2023-24 the institute is expected to have, subject to the outcome of the October 2020 consultation, reviewed the maximum possible number of relevant level 3 technical qualifications and, where they meet the set requirements, approved them as part of the funding process ready for the 2023-24 academic year.
• It will also have developed and played a role in an appeals process for proposed qualifications that are not approved, to be completed by 2024-25 and started to implement the review process for level 3 technical qualifications as part of the funding process for the 2024-25 academic year.
• The institute will have agreed a process for the review of level 2 and below technical qualifications in line with any agreed policy position post-consultation.
• In 2021-22, the institute is asked to ensure that T levels are developed in accordance with the overarching technical education programme and are of a consistently high quality, in that they meet employers’ needs and provide a strong educational platform for learners. To achieve this, the institute will work with the department, Ofqual and awarding organisations to ensure that, where appropriate, alternative arrangements are put in place for T level assessments that mitigate the impacts of Covid-19, work with AOs to develop wave 3 T-level qualifications, procure AOs to develop and deliver wave 4 T-level qualifications.
• It will ensure that AOs meet their contractual obligations, that the contractual arrangements with AOs are regularly reviewed for improvements, and the quality of T levels is maintained across all waves.
• The institute will complete a review and analysis of future T levels for agreement with ministers, support the adaptation of T levels for adults and develop progression profiles for T levels to employment and apprenticeships, including accelerated apprenticeship options.
• It will also develop a timeline and approach for second-generation contracts for wave 1 T levels.
• By 2023-24 the institute is expected to have developed high-quality technical qualifications for T levels which have been tested with employers and providers, have valid, reliable and manageable assessments and are approved with sufficient time for providers to prepare for delivery.
• It will also have selected TQ AOs through a fair process and ensured contracts are managed carefully.
• Where the education secretary has agreed that new T levels should be developed, development of high-quality TQs for these must be under way.
• The IfATE will have determined the arrangements for second-generation T level contracts for wave 1 and 2 T levels.
• In 2021-22 the institute is asked to ensure that at levels 4-5, it continues to roll out, manage, and refine institute approval of higher technical qualifications (HTQs) and establishes a list of approved qualifications. To achieve this the institute will approve the first cycle of HTQs in digital by June 2021 and refine the application process for cycle 2 in light of lessons learned by April 2021. It will close applications for the second cycle of HTQs in construction, and health and science by December 2021.
• By 2023-24 the institute is expected to have reached a position where providers are able to select, develop and market HTQs that meet employer needs. 
• In 2021-22 the institute is asked to assure and raise the quality of apprenticeship assessments and technical qualifications. 
• By 2023-24 the institute is expected to have reached a position where the long-term assurance model for technical qualifications is fully operationalised to support implementation of the qualifications review and it has established oversight of a simplified and credible apprenticeship EQA system, “with Ofqual and OfS and a small number of regulated bodies in delivery, and the employer voice is prevalent in the system”.