T Levels are a new kind of qualification for 16 to 19-year-olds, offering a dynamic blend of classroom education and hands-on industry experience.
These nationally recognised qualifications, introduced in September 2020, have quickly become a vital pathway to various career opportunities. Developed in collaboration with businesses, T Levels are designed to address skill gaps in the job market, ensuring that students acquire relevant, real-world skills.
If you’re wondering if T Levels could be the right choice for you, what subjects are available, and what comes next, this comprehensive guide has all the answers.
What are T Levels?
T Levels are a nationally recognised qualification for 16 to 19-year-olds that take two years to complete and are roughly equivalent to three A Levels. If you’ve not heard of them before, that’s because they’re relatively new – they’ve only been available at certain schools and colleges since September 2020.
They’re qualifications designed alongside businesses and employers, ensuring the skills that students learn are vocational.
During a T Level course, students spend 80% of their time in the classroom and 20% of their time doing a placement with an employer. This placement is a minimum of nine weeks in length. This means that students completing T Levels will learn real-world skills and understand what various careers are like before continuing their studies or entering the workplace.
Like A Levels, students must meet minimum GCSE, or equivalent, grade requirements set by schools and colleges.
Unlike other vocational subjects like BTECs or NVQs, the T Level subjects have been developed to address skill gaps in the current jobs market, working directly with employers.
T Levels are like apprenticeships in that they meet the same standards that are designed by employers, however, T Levels are much more classroom-based than apprenticeships.
What T Level subjects are there?
There are now over twenty subjects available across 12 themes, with more due to begin in September 2024.
Rather than A Levels where students choose to take a few different subjects, with T Levels you take just one subject. The current options are:
Agriculture, environmental and animal care
- Agriculture, land management and production
- Animal care and management (September 2024 onwards)
Business and administration
- Management and administration
Catering and hospitality
- Catering (September 2024 onwards)
Construction
- Building services engineering for construction
- Design, surveying and planning for construction
- Onsite construction
Creative and design
- Craft and design (September 2024 onwards)
- Media, broadcast and production (September 2024 onwards)
Digital
- Digital business services
- Digital production, design and development
- Digital support services
Education and early years
- Education and early years
Engineering and manufacturing
- Design and development for engineering and manufacturing
- Maintenance, installation and repair for engineering and manufacturing
- Engineering, manufacturing, processing and control
Hair and beauty
- Hairdressing, barbering and beauty therapy (September 2024 onwards)
Health and science
- Health
- Healthcare science
- Science
Legal, finance and accounting
- Accounting
- Finance
- Legal services
Sales, marketing and procurement
- Marketing (September 2024 onwards)
How do I apply for T Levels?
Students will need to apply directly to a school or college. Each will have unique entry requirements. You can find T Level providers here.
If you’re not ready for T Levels yet, you can take a year-long T Level Transition Programme which will provide you with additional time to prepare key skills ahead of taking your T Levels. These transition programmes are provided by most of the same schools and colleges.
What happens after I finish my T Levels?
Rather like A Levels, T Levels will add up to UCAS points that can be used to apply to university or another type of higher education.
You could also enter full-time employment or transition into employment via an apprenticeship. As T Levels are created with employment in mind, you’ll be well prepared for the world of work.
What jobs can I get after T Levels?
Only some people continue their education after T Levels. With T Levels so focused on real-world skills, including time spent on placement, T Level students are armed with the skills they need to enter employment after they finish.
Here are just some of the roles that T Level students can get when they finish, and what they can expect to earn.
Chef
T Level pathway: Catering
Average salary: £29,221
Chefs can work in a variety of kitchens from cafes and restaurants to mess kitchens in the military and school canteens.
You’ll need to understand health and safety, nutrition, and have a creative eye. There are loads of pathways to cheffing including catering college, university, A Levels, and T Levels, or simply working your way up in a business. During a T Level, you’d get vital hands-on experience during your placement which would give you an idea of exactly what this job is like in the real world.
Finance officer
T Level pathway: Accounting
Average salary: £40,880
If you’re good with numbers this could be a lucrative profession. You could be employed by a bank or accountancy firm and will be responsible for various tasks.
There’s room to progress, including training to be an accountant.
Lab technician
T Level pathway: Science
Average salary: £31,287
This is a job that involves setting up and running experiments and is ideal for people who don’t want to be sat behind a computer screen all day. You’ll need a solid background in science, an eye for detail, and be happy working independently.
This could be a great opportunity to work on the latest scientific breakthroughs or support students at different stages of their education.
Care assistant
T Level pathway: Health
Average salary: £27,520
Carers can be based in care homes, hospices, hospitals, or be privately employed. They’ll be responsible for administering care to people at all stages of their lives and this care could include washing and bathing, administering medications, and redressing wounds.
It’s a physical role that requires a pretty good level of strength but can be highly rewarding.
Admin assistant
T Level pathway: Management and administration
Average salary: £27,292
If you’re organised and are looking for a career that opens up lots of different industries then working in admin could be ideal.
You’ll need to be great with things like Excel and Word and be able to work out the unique inner workings of companies. It’s a job that can be varied and could lead to roles in office management, HR, or finance.
Dog handler
T Level pathway: Animal care and management
Average salary: £37,398
Fancy yourself as a bit of a dog whisperer? Dog handlers are responsible for training and caring for dogs that themselves have a job to do. You could be training guide dogs to support disabled people or working with the police or search and rescue.
You’ll need a strong understanding of animal behaviours, a love of dogs, and be willing to work in an industry where dogs are “employed”.
(Assistant) information officer
T Level pathway: Management and administration
Average salary: £36,351
Information officers manage information, data, for their workplaces. They’ll ensure that all data is collected lawfully, stored properly, and managed safely.
This is a big job, especially as all the data that businesses have has to be GDPR compliant. Although you can’t go straight into this job after T Levels you can go into an assistant role and work your way up.
Forestry worker
T Level pathway: Agriculture, land management and production
Average salary: £37,324
Fancy something that lets you work outside? Forestry workers have a variety of responsibilities including planting and felling trees, protecting wildlife, and creating things like pathways in public forest spaces.
You’ll need to love nature, not mind a bit of (or a lot of) rain, and be happy to get your hands dirty.
Trainee plumber
T Level pathway: Building services engineering for construction
Average salary: £37,924
You won’t be able to become a plumber straight out of T Levels but the qualification should give you the skills you need to get a trainee position.
As well as working as a plumber in peoples’ homes you could also work managing our waterways or supporting companies with their infrastructure.
Building technician
T Level pathway: Design, surveying and planning for construction
Average salary: £35,582
Building technicians assist with essential building tasks such as estimating, planning and contracts. They’ll also potentially be responsible for managing a construction site and the team working on site.
You’ll need to enter this role at a trainee level but can then progress in the job without further study.
Video editor
T Level pathway: Media, broadcast and production
Average salary: £34,479
If you’re creative and are a whiz with cameras then this could be the ideal role. Video editors can work in a variety of industries including film and TV, marketing, and advertising.
You’ll need to have fantastic attention to detail to succeed. If you can hear and see a pin drop in the background of a shot, then you could be the ideal candidate!
IT support technician
T Level pathway: Digital support services
Average salary: £25,181
IT professionals are great with computers and understand their inner workings too. As a support technician, you’ll need to be good at problem-solving and able to find solutions to peoples’ IT issues.
Usually, you’ll work as part of a team, supporting a company and their employees when things go wrong as well as onboarding new employees and getting them set up with all the kit they need.
Teaching assistant
T Level pathway: Education and early years
Average salary: £23,021
If you want to work with young people then this could be perfect for you. You’ll be there to assist teachers throughout lessons and you’ll sometimes need to support particular students who are struggling.
You’d need to be patient and a great communicator. If you want to progress, you could do an apprenticeship so that you can advance to become a teacher.
Welder
T Level pathway: Engineering, manufacturing, processing and control
Average salary: £33,054
A welder is responsible for assembling metal or repairing damage in components. They use machinery that emits high heat, melting the metals into shape. It’s a dangerous job, where one mistake could have dire consequences so you’ll need to be someone who can operate something safely and calmly.
Due to the nature of the role, you won’t be able to enter it straight after T Levels but you can apply to a trainee position and progress into a more senior role with experience.
Hairdresser
T Level pathway: Hairdressing, barbering and beauty therapy
Average salary: £23,947
If you’ve got a sense of style and love making people feel like a million dollars then hairdressing could be for you.
As hairdressers advance in their careers, they’ll tend to become self-employed, setting up their salons or renting a chair in somebody else’s. This is ideal if you’re creative and entrepreneurial too!
Pensions administrator
T Level pathway: Finance
Average salary: £34,471
A pension administrator plays a crucial role in managing retirement funds for individuals. They are responsible for ensuring that pension contributions are accurately recorded and that retirees receive their rightful benefits.
You can enter this role immediately after you’ve finished a finance T level and might even be employed by the company that you did your placement with.
Animal care worker
T Level pathway: Animal care and management
Average salary: £36,145
If you love animals and care about their wellbeing and welfare then perhaps a career in animal care is for you.
Animal care workers provide essential care and support to animals in various settings, such as animal shelters, veterinary clinics, or zoos. Compassion, patience, and a deep understanding of animal behaviour are essential qualities for this role.
Payroll clerk
T Level pathway: Accounting
Average salary: £26,977
A payroll clerk is responsible for ensuring that employees are accurately compensated for their work. They manage payroll processes, calculate wages, and ensure that tax deductions and other financial aspects are correctly handled.
You’ll need to be great with numbers, and like working with them too – as you’ll be dealing with lots of them!
A final note
As you consider your educational and career choices, remember that T Levels can open doors to exciting opportunities. From culinary arts to finance, healthcare, IT, and more, T Level graduates are well-prepared to excel in diverse industries.
These qualifications can be a bridge to your dream career, with classroom learning and valuable placements providing a strong foundation.
Read more: 10 remote and beautiful jobs for those who want to get lost