Work Placement Pilots for T levels, in action- sharing experience from the Career College network

Work experience for T levels and effective career-led education

Location: 80 Strand, London, 10th Floor Conference Suite.

• 9:30 coffee/networking for a 10am start

• 1:15pm lunch/networking with 2pm close

The Government plans for T levels to provide a technical education as a direct alternative to A levels and the Trust has recognised the huge resonance in this education revolution to the work in Career Colleges. T levels are set to ensure education career pathways, with greater emphasis on work experience, employer involvement and digital skills for our digital economy.

The Career Colleges Trust has pioneered digital education, and CPD for our UK education network, to help educators to prepare young people for the realities of work, raise career aspirations and gain competitive advantage. The Trust works with over 350 employers across the UK, linked into regional business networks, to ensure education is designed and delivered with industry, for our students.

With the first tranche of T levels in development, and FE colleges asked to confirm their commitment to the first three T levels on offer, the Trust believes it would be helpful to showcase insight from pioneers, currently involved in the large-scale work placement pilots. We want to support Department for Education colleagues with practical recommendations coming out of the pilots, to inform policy being developed for the T levels with employer panels right now.

This national showcase of experience with pilots, set in the context of high performing colleges, is also designed to support FE colleagues across the UK. We will also hear from industry leaders, working with the Trust on how to ensure effective industry direction, and support for young people planning their futures.

The event will include:

• A keynote introduction from the head of the Skills Implementation Team for the Department for Education- Sue Clarke- on work placements/ plans for T levels

• A showcase from the CEO of Yeovil College- John Evans- from their piloting of the T level work placements this year

• A key industry perspective, from our Trust’s collaboration with Amazon Web Services, to showcase their thinking on provision of work experience and the issues facing employers. as well as a wider initiative to engage young people in a Digital career, funding industry experts to work with colleges on particular programmes, student visit and projects.

• A showcase and insight to South Tyneside College’s phased expansion of work placements, ahead of T levels

• A showcase and insight to London South East College’s employer-led partnership strategy.

There will be colleagues in attendance from the DfE at this event, and FE colleagues from across the UK. The Career Colleges Trust will promote the best practice of our partners in the national press.

About the Career Colleges Trust…

The Career Colleges Trust is a charity, formed in 2013, to improve the career prospects of young people in the UK.

With 20 sector specialist Career Colleges across the UK now, the curriculum of each Career College is designed by employers, for employment.

Students get involved in industry projects and develop enterprise and communication skills, to prepare them for work and life.

There are another 8 Career Colleges planned over the next year, including 2 being launched in Wales, with huge support from employers. They specialise in industries that are facing skills gaps/growth and as a result, offer great career opportunities. Career College sectors include digital, construction and the wider built environment, hospitality and catering, health and care, engineering, professional services.