If you’re asking the question, “What are T Levels,” then you’ve come to the right blog post! T levels are a new sort of course for students in England who have finished their GCSEs. The first T levels started in September 2020 and they’re still being rolled out – there are currently 18 subjects available (as of September 2023) with another 5 being introduced for September 2024.
T Levels or BTECs?
T levels and BTECs are both vocational courses (a vocational course is targeted at the skills needed for a particular trade, compared to academic courses, which are more theoretical).
The government introduced T levels to try to improve vocational courses. For the subjects where T levels are available, they will replace existing BTEC courses. Only 24 T level subjects are currently planned, compared to thousands of available BTECs. This means if a T level is not available for a particular subject, it’s likely a BTEC will be.
There are two main differences between BTECs and T Levels. While both T Levels and level 3 BTECs are 2 year courses, BTECs can also be taken as easier 1 year level 1 (roughly equivalent to foundation GCSE) and level 2 (similar to higher GCSE) courses and can be extended further into advanced level 4 and level 5 courses.
The second difference between T levels and BTECs is the amount of on-the-job training. T levels were developed alongside employers and they have a more extensive work placement – a minimum of 45 days (but often longer). This compares to around 2 weeks of work experience for a BTEC.
Entry Requirements
Entry requirements vary slightly between T levels, but courses usually require at least 5 GCSEs at grades 9-4, with some courses needing maths and English grades of at least 5.
If you don’t have the grades needed, you can take a T level transition course. This is a 1-year course taken between GCSEs and T levels to help you meet the requirements.
What T Levels Are Available?
The list below shows all T level subjects. For each subject, you have to choose a specialism. You should be aware that different colleges describe their available T levels differently – one may offer an Onsite Construction T level with an option to specialise in Bricklaying, where another offers a T level in Bricklaying. These would both have similar content.
18 subjects are currently available divided into 8 topics, with another 5 rolling out in September 2024. As these are new qualifications, they will not all be available at all schools or colleges.
Agriculture, environmental and animal care
| Subject | Available Specialisations |
|---|---|
| Agriculture, land management and production | – Crop and plant production – Floristry – Land-based engineering – Livestock production – Ornamental horticulture and landscaping – Tree and woodland management and maintenance |
Business (management and administration)
| SUBJECT | AVAILABLE SPECIALISATIONS |
|---|---|
| Management and administration | – Business support – Business improvement – Team leadership and management |
Construction
| SUBJECT | AVAILABLE SPECIALISATIONS |
|---|---|
| Onsite construction | – Carpentry and joinery – Bricklaying – Plastering – Painting and decorating |
| Design, surveying and planning for construction | – Surveying and design for construction and the built environment – Civil engineering – Building services design – Hazardous materials analysis and surveying |
| Building services engineering for construction | – Electrical and electronic equipment engineering – Electrotechnical engineering – Gas engineering – Protection systems engineering – Plumbing and heating engineering – Heating engineering and ventilation – Refrigeration engineering and air conditioning engineering |
Digital
| Subject | Available Specialisations |
|---|---|
| Digital business services | No specialisations available. Course covers: – Sourcing, organising and formatting data – Blending data from multiple sources – Analysing data to support business – Interpreting data and communicating results |
| Digital production, design and development | No specialisations available. Course covers: – Analysing a problem to define requirements – Designing, implementing, and testing software – Changing, maintaining and supporting software – Creating solutions in a social and collaborative environment – Discovering, evaluating, and applying reliable sources of knowledge – Applying ethical principles and managing risks in line with legal and regulatory requirements when developing software |
| Digital support services | – Digital infrastructure – Network cabling – Digital support |
Engineering and Manufacturing
| Subject | Available Specialisations |
|---|---|
| Design and development for engineering and manufacturing | – Mechanical engineering – Electrical and electronic engineering – Control and instrumentation engineering – Structural engineering |
| Maintenance, installation and repair for engineering and manufacturing | – Maintenance engineering technologies: mechanical – Maintenance engineering technologies: mechatronic – Maintenance engineering technologies: electrical & electronic – Maintenance engineering technologies: control & instrumentation – Maintenance, installation, and repair: light and electric vehicles |
| Engineering, manufacturing, processing and control | – Fitting and assembly technologies – Machining and toolmaking technologies – Composites manufacturing technologies – Fabrication and welding technologies |
Education and early years
| Subject | Available Specialisations |
|---|---|
| Education and early years | – Early years educator – Assisting teaching |
Health and science
| Subject | Available Specialisations |
|---|---|
| Health | – Supporting the adult nursing team – Supporting the midwifery team – Supporting the mental health team – Supporting the care of children and young people – Supporting the therapy teams – Dental nursing |
| Healthcare science | – Assisting with healthcare science – Optical care services |
| Science | – Laboratory sciences – Food sciences – Metrology sciences |
Legal, finance and accounting
| Subject | Available Specialisations |
|---|---|
| Legal services | – Legal services assistant: business, finance and employment – Legal services assistant: crime, criminal justice and social welfare |
| Accounting | – Assistant accountant |
| Finance | – Retail and commercial banking analyst – Investment banking and asset and wealth management analyst – Insurance practitioner – Financial compliance/risk analyst |
Available from September 2024
| Subject | Available Specialisations |
|---|---|
| Animal Care and Management | – Animal care and management – Equine care and management |
| Catering | No specialisations available. Course covers: – Culinary quality – Kitchen operations – Health, safety and security – Nutritional analysis – Food safety practices and procedures – Team working – Business, including risk assessment, waste management principles and supply chain management |
| Craft and Design | – Jewellery maker – Ceramics maker – Furniture maker – Textiles and fashion maker |
| Hairdressing, Barbering and Beauty Therapy | – Barbering – Hairdressing – Beauty therapy |
| Media, Broadcast and Production | – Creative media technician – Events and venues technician – Content creation and production |
So, did this post answer all your questions about what T Levels are? If you’re looking for further information, we have a great range of helpful blogs here! You can also subscribe to Beyond for access to thousands of secondary teaching resources. You can sign up for a free account here and take a look around at our free resources before you subscribe too.