This DfE survey explored learners’ reasons for choosing their course, their aspirations, course delivery, learners’ satisfaction and their future plans.
The survey aims to understand which young people are choosing these new technical routes and why, as well as their experiences and outcomes on these new technical education programmes, and how they progress into future study and work.
New technical education programmes were introduced in 2020 to improve and simplify the existing vocational education system in England and address a skills gap identified in the 2016 Sainsbury Review.
T Levels are level 3 qualifications that are equivalent to three A Levels. Learners who require additional support before taking a T Level can take the T Level Transition Programme (TLTP) – a one-year, full time course which equips learners with the skills and knowledge they need to progress on to a T Level. In their first year (2020-2021) these programmes were delivered by 43 providers across England in three technical routes: Education and Childcare, Construction and Digital.
The findings from learners on the TLTP and T Levels suggest that learners have had a largely positive experience. Learners generally reported high levels of satisfaction overall and with different course elements, including the industry placements where they were undertaken. Most learners found the workload to be manageable, and felt that their course was suitably challenging.