Recommendation 15

The Department also described its work to address employers’ concerns and challenges in offering placements.40 For example, we received written evidence from Make UK and EngineeringUK describing the health and safety concerns associated with hosting students.41 The Department described reintroducing funding to support employers, available from 23 April 2025 to 31 March 2026, for small to medium employers offering placements or those offering health-related placements (for example to procure the necessary personal, protective equipment).42 It has also created more flexibilities for employers. For example, by allowing them to host T Level students remotely up to 20% of the time (50% for digital T Levels) from January 2025 and allowing some elements of placements to be done in simulated environments.43 We also questioned the Department about some employers having concerns that T Level students joining them didn’t have enough skills or experience. The Department recognised it needs to do more to clarify miscommunication around T Level students’ capabilities but is relying on local partnerships between colleges and employers to alleviate these concerns.44 It also described trialling placement coordinators in some NHS integrated care boards to generate more placements.45 Establishing T Levels within the wider skills landscape