T-Levels

T levels are a level three technical education route that provide an alternative to A-levels for 16-19-year-olds. One T Level is equivalent to three A levels. These 2-year courses have been developed in collaboration with employers and businesses so that the content meets the needs of industry and prepares students for work, further training or study.

T Levels help support the recruitment of the NHS’s future workforce. The NHS is the world’s fifth largest employer. We are the NHS: People Plan states that 50,000 more nurses alone are required by 2024/25 and rapid increases in the pace of recruitment is needed across all roles and professions.

We all know it takes time and investment to develop new staff. In the future we expect to see T-levels enabling people to progress into apprenticeships.

Questions to consider about T-Levels
Click on the video to access an overview of T-Levels.
T-Level Progression Profiles – IfATE
T Level Transition Programme – Consultation response
T-level thematic review: final report

Read the 2022 report from The Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust which looks at varied successful industrial placement models across England and how organisations have tailored T Level Industrial Placements to match their local needs.

This report has been produced to give practical guidance, tips and examples of good practice. It will also provide questions to provoke thought and to reflect on as you decide if T Level Industry Placements are something you can afford not to be involved with.

Case Studies
Click to access video case study

Sussex Health & Care ICS

The below report and video case study from Sussex Health & Care ICS outlines how their partnership approach has enabled their Integrated Care System to work with NHS organisations, health and care sector partners, councils, universities and T-level providers to help create a sustainable system for young people to enter the workforce.

They look at some of the challenges and lessons learnt, and provide actionable recommendations for NHS Integrated Care Systems who are looking to embrace T-levels and bring in new talent from their local communities.

Report: The importance of a strategic and collaborative approach to the implementation of the T-level agenda in the health and care sector: a case study
- NHS Employers: Delivering clinical T Level industry placements: Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust
- NHS Employers: How a local college partnership boosted T Level success
- Barts Health NHS Trust – T Level case study
- Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust – T Level Case Study
- Alicia Dickinson – T Level case study
What do T Levels include?
T Levels present an opportunity for you to showcase the breadth of roles available in your organisation, to a pool of people that know they want to work in health or social care but haven’t yet picked a specific occupation.

A T Level is split into three main sections:
- technical qualification (TQ) is the main, classroom-based element. Students will learn about their chosen sectors through a curriculum designed by employers and developed by an awarding organisation (AO)
- industry placement runs for a minimum of 315 hours (45 days) overall and will give students practical insights into their sector and an opportunity to embed the knowledge and skills learned in the classroom
- English, maths and digital provision is also built into the classroom-based element of the T Level, meaning students will be given a solid foundation of transferable skills
Links/Resources:
- Learn more about T Levels using our printable
- NHS Employers – what are T Levels
- NCFE is the awarding body for the T Levels qualifications in health and healthcare science. NCFE’s T-Level section has information on and examples of the curriculum.
- Gov.uk’s Introduction of T-Levels page has detailed information including guidance about different T Level subjects.
Why are T levels important for the health sector?

The Health Foundation, The King’s Fund and the Nuffield Trust in their joint briefing, The health care workforce in England – Make or Break (November 2018) stated that there are currently around 100,000 vacancies in the NHS and that this figure is projected to rise to nearly 250,000 by 2030.

Securing a workforce for the future is thought to be a greater threat to the provision of health care services than the funding challenges facing the healthcare sector. T level courses in health and science will help to raise the awareness, among young people, of the occupational choices that exist within healthcare and provide an opportunity for employers to strengthen their engagement with local schools/colleges – all of which could help to secure a health workforce pipeline.
Some Key Benefits of T Levels
- Access to a new, diverse talent pool
- Ideas and innovation from young people who will be the workforce of the future
- Opportunity to influence student learning to Trainee Nursing Associate (TNA) and Assistant Practitioner (Health). Later progressing to the registered occupations.
- Support for project work
- Opportunity for staff to develop mentoring, coaching and leadership skills.
- Improving health through employment in your locality
Links/Resources:
- Here’s what the Department of Education say about industry placements in general
- This video, “A conversation with Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust” talks about the benefits that one trust sees in T Levels
- Find a great free mentoring resource from The Gatsby Foundation here. It contains support and guidance for anyone who is interested in how to mentor students on a T-level industry placement.
How can my organisation get involved?
Every student working towards a T-level will need to complete an industry placement, lasting a minimum of 315 hours (approximately 45 days).

An industry placement provides an opportunity for students to develop the practical and technical skills required to work in the healthcare environment. Industry placements can be offered as a block, day release or a mixture of both. Providers will support employers through assisting with the planning and design of the placement (this will be different to the work experience placements that many employers already offer) and helping with the required paperwork.

Links/Resources:
- Gov.uk – T-Level funding guides
- Employer Support Fund – A one-year Employer Support Fund is being launched to enable providers to reimburse employers for costs incurred in delivering Industry Placements in the 2023-24 financial year, worth around £12m.
- Department of Education – About T Levels
- T Levels and industry placement support for employers
- A great article from NHS Employers
- General T Level employer toolkit from Department of Education
- Introduction to T Levels and industry placement video
Documentation for Health T Level placements
On this section you will find copies of documents in use at NHS organisations across the country. The organisations have kindly shared their materials (many of which have been based of Department of Education templates) so that others don’t have to start from scratch. These documents are free to use as they are, or as a base for you to design your own from. Please note that Skills for Health is not directly involved creating these documents.

Please credit the original document owners if you choose to use them.

Pre-placement
On-placement and feedback
- Activity remit – Adult Nursing
- On-placement logbook and reviews
If you would like to submit examples of best practice please contact Healthcare.Trailblazer@skillsforhealth.org.uk.
Resources
- Gov.uk – T-Level funding guides
- T Levels in Health and Healthcare Science report – Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust
- Gov.uk’s Introduction of T-Levels page has further information.
- T Levels and industry placement support for employers
- T Level industry placements: delivery guidance
- The NexT Level branding
- NHS Employers web section and case study
- NHS Employers T Level industry placements and getting started
- HASO printables – What are T Levels?
- Meet the workforce of the future
- T Levels in the public sector – a conversation with Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust
- Resources for employer engagement with T Levels and How Industry Placements Work
- T Levels and industry placements for the NHS
- The ‘Maturity Modelling Tool’ is a self-assessment tool to plot where an organisation is on their T-level journey from early to mature. This should be completed by either the T-level, Apprenticeship or Widening Participation Lead.
- IfATE’s Technical Qualification (TQ) Forum – The TQ student forum is open to current and graduate T Level students aged 16 years or over.
- T-Level Resources for Universities

Traineeships Next Functional Skills

T-Levels

Sussex Health & Care ICS