What are T Levels?
T Levels, which were introduced back in 2020, are a Level 3 qualification for 16 –19-year-olds in England who have completed their GCSEs. The two-year course has been designed in conjunction with employers to tackle the skills shortage that exist in certain sectors.
Each T Level is equivalent to three A Levels and helps young people develop the knowledge, attitude and practical skills to thrive in the workplace. The T Level qualifications are split into 80% learning through the T Level providers, and 20% in industry putting theory into practice. The 20% are industry placements that last for a minimum of 315 hours (approximately 45 days), which can be either be day release, a block placement or mixture of both.
The Digital Support Services T Level is where the cyber security specialism sits, and the progression from this qualification can lead to apprenticeships, higher education and even entry-level roles.
Why host a T Level student?
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Helping to resolve the skills shortage of cyber security professionals - 50% of all UK businesses have a basic cyber security skills gap*
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Providing entry-level routes into the profession - shortfall of 11,200 people needed to meet the demand of the cyber security workforce*
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Gaining early access to talented T Level students which ultimately helps your organisation and talent pipeline
*statistics are from the DSIT/Ipsos Report – Cyber security skills in the UK labour market 2023
Follow our 5 simple steps to get started on your T Level journey
Step 1. Find your local provider
You can find your local T Level provider here, where you just enter your organisation’s postcode, and all the local T Level providers will be shown to you. You can also filter by T Level course as well. The local provider will be a very significant support for your industry placement journey, so it’s important to build your relationship with them.
Step 2. Use our business case
We have put together a business case for you to use within your organisation, highlighting the benefits of hosting a T Level placement student, not only to the student, but also your organisation. This business case can also be adapted to your own organisational needs and values.
Step 3. Work with your local provider to find the right student(s) for your organisation
T Level providers support you in finding the right student(s) for you to host your placement. They’ll be able to let you know how you’ll be able to do this.
Step 4. Tailor our project plans ready for your student(s)
We have created project plans for you to use within your organisation, which can be adapted to fit your business needs. The plans outline some of the skills that students can develop during their placement, as well as the links to the performance outcomes for the cyber security specialism. As this is a growing resource, if you have any ideas for project plans that we have not created, just let us know. This will help other organisations in their T Level industry placement journey, helping to close the skills gap.
Step 5. Host your T Level placement student – getting yourself access to early talent & resolving the skills gap
Now it’s time to host your T Level placement student. It’s important to ensure that they have access to a Line Manager and a Mentor whilst on placement, so that the student can flourish within your organisation. You can find out more information here about what to do during industry placement.