Employers will be able to claim £1,000 for every T-level placement they offer, the Department for Education (DfE) has said.
The 45-day work placement is the core of the new T-level qualifications, but concerns have long been raised about business capacity to offer them owing to the impact of the pandemic on the economy.
The funding will come from a new £10 million pot, said the DfE, and employers will be able to claim £1,000 for every student up to a maximum of 20 placements, between 27 May 2021 and July 2022.
Long read: Delivering the first T levels - what’s it been like?
Williamson: My vision for T levels to be international
Background: T level placements unlikely in 2021, say employers
Gillian Keegan, minister for apprenticeships and skills, said: “T levels are a game changer for young people, providing a fantastic high-quality technical alternative to A levels and helping to produce the skilled talent pipeline of tomorrow as we recover from the pandemic.
“Employers are already recognising the value hosting a T-level industry placement can bring to their business, helping them to build the skilled workforce they need for the future. This temporary cash boost will help even more employers to experience the benefits while also providing young people with invaluable first-hand experience in the workplace.”
In September, the first three T levels were rolled out in institutions across England - in construction, digital, and education and childcare. In September 2021, seven other routes will be introduced, including ones in digital support, healthcare science and on-site construction. As part of the T-level programme, learners are required to undertake 315 hours of work placement.
A survey by the Institute of Directors, shared exclusively with Tes in April, found just one in 10 businesses said they will be offering placements to students on the government’s new gold standard T-level qualifications in 2021.
Around six in 10 businesses said they are “not likely” to provide a T-level placement this year, while three in 10 said they did not know whether they would or not.
Cath Sezen, senior policy manager - FE, at the Association of Colleges said: “Industry placements are an integral part of a T Level and offer students the opportunity to work alongside sector professionals in their industry of choice. Today’s announcement of funding to support employers engage with industry placements is a great opportunity to help engage businesses/employers in supporting T Levels particularly for SMEs as the country is coming out of lockdown and brings them in line with the array of other programmes like Kickstart, that have incentives for employers attached to them.
“It will be particularly interesting to see if this impacts on the challenge colleges are facing finding face-to-face placements in digital, a sector which has largely moved to remote working.”
