Cash boost for nurseries hosting T Level placements

The incentive fund is designed to offer support to employers impacted by the pandemic, to ensure that they can continue to host placements. Employers will be able to claim for up to 20 students for the available T Level subject areas from 27 May 2021 until July 2022.

The new technical qualifications - part of the Government’s reforms to generate a skilled workforce – are equivalent to three A Levels and combine classroom study with industry placements.

To help businesses understand how to host an industry placement, including details on what is expected of them during the placement, the DfE has also published an Employer Guide.

The package of support builds on the Government’s work to transform post-16 education so that every young adult has a range of opportunities open to them, removing the perception that a degree is the only path to a good career.

Responding to the announcement, Stella Ziolkowski, NDNA’s director of quality and training, said, ‘We are delighted that settings are provided with much needed financial support to enable them to offer these placements. Working in childcare is a rewarding career and we hope this support for qualifications will provide opportunities to secure much needed practitioners within the early years sector.’

Industry placements form a key component of T Level courses, with students spending at least 45 days (or 315 hours) with an employer. For employers, they offer the chance to nurture and build a skilled talent pipeline for the future, and for students, they have the opportunity to gain vital hands-on experience and invaluable insight of the world of work.

Minister for apprenticeships and skills Gillian Keegan 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.’

The first three T Levels in Education and Childcare; Design, Surveying and Planning for Construction; and Digital Production, Design and Development and were introduced in September 2020.

The fund will complement the Employer Support Package already in place, which provides support for employers to deliver high-quality industry placements, through online guidance, case studies and workshops and an Invitation to Tender will be launched this summer. This package will be continued into the 2021/22 academic year.

Chris Young, Education and Skills Delivery Manager, Hinkley Point C Project said, ‘T Levels bring many benefits to business and that’s why we have committed to supporting T Level industry placements as part of the Hinkley Point C Project in the 2021/22 curriculum year.’

The funding boost comes on top of the £165 million already invested through the capacity and delivery funding in 2018/19 to support further education providers prepare for the delivery of high quality industry placements.

An additional £7 million has also been invested though the employer support pilot fund to work with employers to test ways to support them to offer placements.