New branding has been unveiled ahead of the official launch of T Levels in 2020, the qualifications which are being developed as an alternative to the traditionally academic approach of the A levels.

John West, skills and training manager at UKFT, has been appointed by the Government to the panel that will develop the outline content for new T Levels for craft and design, which will encompass fashion and textiles. The craft and design qualification is part of the final wave of T Levels, set to launch in 2022.

“T Levels will be the biggest change to technical education in a generation,” said Anne Milton, Minister for Skills and Apprenticeships. “T Levels will help young people to fast-track their career and help them get to the next level giving them a head start in the world of work.

“Right from the start we have worked with employers, young people, their parents and education providers. I want more and more people to understand that T Levels are a high quality, advanced and desirable qualification with employers at the heart of their design.”

A unique part of T Levels will be the completion of a high-quality industry placement – of at least 315 hours, or approximately 45 days – in which students will build the knowledge and skills they need in a workplace environment.

The Government announced a new package of support for employers last month to help them offer vital placements in readiness for the first T Level rollout in September 2020.