Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 16
16
The Department acknowledged that the move to T levels was challenging, particularly delivering work placements...
Conclusion
The Department acknowledged that the move to T levels was challenging, particularly delivering work placements which were an important element of the new qualifications.28 The ESFA emphasised the additional funding it had given to colleges to create work placements, and said that it had had positive feedback from colleges and students involved in the first T levels. It told us it was working hard to engage with employers, but acknowledged that people did not always know what T levels were.29 It accepted that work placements had become more difficult as organisations had moved to working virtually. It was working with Ministers to explore options, but had to make sure that the quality of experience for students would be maintained.30 27 Qq 37–38, 61, 73–77 28 Q 75 29 Qq 38, 61–62, 75 30 Q 37 12 Managing colleges’ financial sustainability 2 Government funding and support for colleges Funding arrangements
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
4: PAC conclusion: Successful implementation of the new T-level qualifications risks being delayed by a lack of work placements. 4: PAC recommendation: The Department should write to the Committee before the start of the next academic year setting out what up-to-date assurance it has that there will be enough work placements for T levels. This should cover what impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the availability of placements and plans to incorporate virtual placements. 4.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: July 2021 4.2 It is crucial that industry placements are high-quality to ensure that students have a successful T Level experience. 4.3 The department is monitoring the challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic is having on the delivery of industry placements. The first cohort of T Levels is relatively small, with approximately 1,300 students. The department has introduced some temporary flexibilities to placements to support their delivery, which includes reducing the number of minimum placement hours required for students on the Early Years Educator Occupational Specialism. The department has invested over £165 million since the 2018-19 academic year to help providers build capacity to deliver placements and is providing dedicated support to providers to help them source placements. The department has also implemented a package of support for employers, where they can access advice, workshops and webinars, and is running a pilot to test what financial support employers need to deliver placements. The department will continue to work closely with providers and employers to ensure it understands the delivery challenges and how to overcome them. 4.4 The department will write to the Committee in July 2021 to set out what assurances it has that there will be enough industry placements for T Levels; what impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the availability of placements; and what further support the department will put in place to ensure there are enough high-quality placements available for students.