New College celebrates new qualification during T Levels week

A year ago, New College started offering the new T Level qualification, and it is now celebrating the launch of its new courses.

The new T Level courses New College are now offering include Accounting, Finance, and Management and Administration. 

This year, 10 – 14 October marks T Levels Week.

New College Swindon began offering these new qualifications to students in Swindon and Wiltshire in 2021, and is now celebrating the launch of additional courses in Accounting, Finance and Management and Administration and welcoming a new cohort of students.

T Levels are qualifications for 16 - 19-year-olds, that are taken after GCSEs. They are broadly equivalent in size to three A levels and focus on technical and vocational skills. The college say they can help students into skilled employment, higher study or apprenticeships.

These new qualifications are said to have been designed in collaboration with leading employers to provide the skills that businesses across the region need. The subject areas on offer reflect some of the top growth areas, such as digital skills, health and childcare and management and administration.

T Levels are said to be unique as they combine classroom study with industry placements, so young people can gain valuable work experience in their chosen sector. Many local businesses are embracing T Levels as a great way to bring in new ideas and the latest skills, and a new way to find, nurture and secure young talent.

Those offering placements to New College students include: Great Western Hospital, Ridgeway Rise Nursing Home, Westrop Medical Practice, Oaktree Nursery & Primary, Liden School, BCS, Chronicle Computing, Solatek, and GEO-4D.

Jason Clear, Assistant Principal and T Level Lead at New College Swindon said: “We’re incredibly proud to be amongst the first providers in the country to offer these brilliant new qualifications, and it has been fantastic to see how they have been embraced by young people.

"I’m excited to see our first cohort of students build on their successes from last year and to have welcomed further students to our new T Levels this September. We’re delighted to be celebrating T Level Week."

The Get the Jump content hub on the National Careers Service website has, in one place, all the education and training choices available to young people who are taking their next step, including further information on T Levels.

A spokesperson from New College added: "Whether you know what you want to do yet or not, knowing your education, training and work choices is a great place to start."

Individuals can go to the Get the Jump hub at https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/explore-your-education-and-training-choices to find out more.