NCFE welcomes the Institute of Apprenticeships and Technical Education

North East based awarding organisation, NCFE, welcomed the Institute of Apprenticeships and Technical Education to its Newcastle headquarters recently.

The visit saw Sir Gerry Berragan, CEO and Rob Nitsch, COO of the Institute, arrive at NCFE to celebrate the contract win and meet the teams that will be involved.

The national awarding body, which is based at Quorum Business Park in Newcastle, was awarded the contract by the Institute and the Department for Education (DfE) in February to deliver the new Education and Childcare T Levels from September 2020 following a competitive global bidding process.

The contract win sees NCFE be at the forefront of the reform of technical education as the new T Levels are introduced, providing learners a technical equivalent to A Levels.

This qualification will form part of the first wave of T Levels alongside other pathways in the Construction and Digital Skills sectors.

T Levels signify a big change in technical education as they will become one of the main choices for students aged 16-18, alongside A levels and apprenticeships. Equivalent to 3 A levels and carrying UCAS points, the 2-year courses have been developed in collaboration with employers and businesses to ensure the content prepares learners for the world of work and meets industry needs.

The Education and Childcare T Level will provide learners with the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to progress into skilled employment, higher-level technical training or study in the education and childcare sector. There will be 3 occupational specialisms within the new qualification, which are; Early Years Education and Childcare, Assisting Teaching, and Supporting and Mentoring Students in Further and Higher Education, all of which will consist of both classroom-based and practical learning.

Stewart Foster, managing director of NCFE Awarding, said: “We are delighted that NCFE has been selected by the DfE as the delivery partner for the Education and Childcare T Level. At NCFE, we are committed to creating opportunities for learners to progress and succeed and we are therefore excited to be at the forefront of the implementation of T Levels.

“T Levels mark a revolution in technical education and the CACHE developed Technical Qualification will help ensure that learners entering the education and childcare workplace have been trained to the highest of standards.”

Sir Gerry Berragan, CEO of the Institute, said: “I am really pleased at the pace the work has developed and the Institute will continue to build on the work of DfE. Technical Education offers a real and exciting alternative to A Levels for young people, with T Levels now sitting alongside apprenticeships. We remain committed to the pace of the roll out and look forward to working with these suppliers as they develop the first T Level qualifications.”

Education Secretary Damian Hinds said: “This is a major step forward in our work to upgrade technical education in this country. T Levels are a once in a generation opportunity to create high-quality technical education courses on a par with the best in the world, so that young people gain the skills and experience they need to secure a good job, an apprenticeship or progress into further training.

“We have made significant progress to implement these vital reforms which are on track for delivery from 2020.  Working alongside the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education the Awarding Organisations will play a vital role ensuring T Levels are high-quality and deliver the skilled workforce employers need.”

The new T levels will be rolled out gradually, with students able to enrol for the first routes from September 2020 through 3 local providers in the North East.

A full list of providers can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/providers-selected-to-deliver-t-levels-in-academic-year-2020-to-2021/providers-selected-to-deliver-t-levels-in-academic-year-2020-to-2021