T Levels1 are exciting new L3 qualifications that follow on from GCSEs.
Equivalent to three A Levels and two years in duration, T Levels have been developed in collaboration with employers and businesses to meet the needs of industry, and prepare students for work, further training or study. Based on the same standards as apprenticeships, T Levels give students a mixture of classroom learning and relevant, cutting edge industry experience.
From September 2021, students will be able to undertake a T Level in Science. In this T Level, students will have the opportunity to take a Metrology Occupational Specialism, giving them the knowledge and technical skills to work within the metrology sector. Students spend a year on core knowledge and concepts applicable to the health and science sector, as well as embarking on their Metrology specialism.
Students will also complete an industry placement, where they get the chance to apply their technical knowledge and skills. They will experience employment within the sector first-hand, allowing them to make an informed choice about their next steps in the Metrology field. The industry placement lasts a minimum of 45 days, much longer than other work placement requirements in equivalent qualifications. It is invaluable for students, exposing them to the vital role metrology plays in the 21st century, but also for employers. A longer work placement of this type allows employers to benefit in greater depth from the opportunity for a fresh pair of eyes on their industry and from the longer-term, project-based, impactful work a T Level student can undertake.
Students will experience learning within the T Level that will highlight to them their prior metrology knowledge gained from everyday life and education. They will then build on this foundation in a relevant, technical focused pathway. Through the occupational specialism performance outcomes, students will be able to: plan and perform appropriate scientific measurements for any measure and (complying with regulatory requirements and ensuring accuracy) collect, analyse and interpret data from measurement tasks, and resolve identified issues with measurement tools.
For the majority of learners, this will be the first time they have been exposed to the specific study of metrology and represents a fantastic opportunity to engage and encourage the metrologists of tomorrow.
1T Level is a registered trademark of the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education.
The T Level is a qualification approved and managed by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education.