Sussex Coast College set to teach new T Levels

Sussex Coast College is one of ten colleges in the South East set to teach the new T Levels.
Sussex Coast College SUS-171007-134827001Sussex Coast College SUS-171007-134827001
Sussex Coast College SUS-171007-134827001

Ten colleges and post-16 providers across the South East were named as the first to teach new T Levels on Sunday (May 27) as Education Secretary Damian Hinds set out his vision for a world-class technical education system.

Sussex Coast College is one of the ten, alongside Chichester College Group, Fareham College, Farnborough College of Technology, Havant and South Downs College, Peter Symonds,​​ Salesian School, The College of Richard Collyer and The Leigh UTC.

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T Levels in construction, digital and education and childcare will be first taught from September 2020 with a further 22 courses being rolled out in stages from 2021. Courses will cover sectors such as finance and accounting, engineering and manufacturing, and creative and design.

Education Secretary Damian Hinds said: “T Levels represent a once in a lifetime opportunity to reform technical education in this country so we can rival the world’s best performing systems.

“For too long young people have not had a genuine choice about their future aged 16. Whilst A levels provide a world class academic qualification, many technical education courses are undervalued by employers and don’t always provide students with the skills they need to secure a good job – that has to change.

“Naming the first 52 colleges and providers where young people will be able to study the first T Levels is an important step forward, and we will continue the work with business and the education sector so everyone can benefit from these vital reforms.

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“Technology and the world economy are fast-changing, and we need to make sure our young people have the skills they need to get the jobs of tomorrow. This is at the heart of our modern Industrial Strategy.”

The T Level consultation response confirms the high-quality nature of these new qualifications, with course content created by expert panels of employers to make sure young people have the knowledge and skills needed; three month compulsory industry placements that will give young people the experience and wider skills they need to be ready for the world of work; and standards assured by Ofqual and the Institute for Apprenticeships (IfA) so that T Levels remain high quality and are valued by employers

Lord David Sainsbury, chairman of the Independent Panel on Technical Education, whose 2016 report led to the current reforms, said: “I am delighted with the excellent progress being made with the implementation of T Levels. For too long the only educational opportunity that many young people have had is to take technical qualifications that fail to equip them with the knowledge and skills that employers value, and that are needed to progress to higher technical education.

“We now face a major communication challenge, and all of us, who understand how valuable and important these reforms will be to the lives of young people, must now reach out to young people, their parents and carers, and employers, to let them know these changes are coming, and the exciting opportunities they will bring.”

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The wide-ranging T Levels consultation sought views from across the world of business and education, as well as young people themselves. Leading employers including Lloyds, IBM, and Siemens, all responded to the consultation underlining their strong support for new T Levels.

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