The Government’s technical qualifications could remain a “minority pursuit” without action to enrol more students and raise awareness among employers, MPs have warned.
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has called on the Government to set out its plan to tackle the “significant challenges” that remain with rolling out post-16 T-level qualifications in England.
T-levels have a “critical role” to play in providing young people with the skills needed to address vital skills gaps across the economy, according to the report from the cross-party group of MPs.
But it added that the “success” and value for money of T-levels relies on increasing student numbers.
The first T-levels were introduced in September 2020 to help meet the needs of industry and prepare students for work.
The two-year courses, which are considered to be broadly equivalent to three A-levels, are being gradually rolled out in England.
But the PAC report said only half of Year 9 to 11 students had heard of T-levels in 2023, and only a third of employers, who offer industry placements required to finish the T-level, are aware of them.
The Department for Education’s (DfE) latest forecast of 66,100 T-level starters in September 2029 is significantly more than the 25,508 students who started the qualification in September 2024, it added.
The PAC also found that women and disadvantaged students are underrepresented in some T-level courses such as engineering.
The MPs have called on the DfE to develop a structured plan, within six months, setting out its “campaign approach” to increasing student awareness and enrolments in T-levels.
The DfE should address how the curriculum can be tailored to appeal to a diverse student group while meeting employers’ needs, they added.
The PAC report warns that it has been “unclear” to students, teachers and colleges how T-levels fit alongside other technical qualifications.
It comes after the Government announced plans in December to scrap more than 200 vocational qualifications that had either no enrolments, or fewer than 100 per year over the last three years.
As part of the review of post-16 qualifications, the Government said it will keep about 70% of vocational courses, including BTecs, which the previous Conservative administration had announced it would cut.
Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, chairman of the committee, said: “T-levels have the potential to be a significant force for good in equipping young people with everything they need for their burgeoning careers.
“But without the wider awareness in industry and critical mass of student enrolments, T-levels may remain very much a minority pursuit, when they could become a natural and enriching step in many students’ lives.”
He added: “Government must enter campaign mode to inject life into T-Levels to build enrolments, focusing in and capitalising on local employment needs.”
A Department for Education spokesperson said: “Through our Plan for Change, this government is cementing 120,000 new training opportunities for young people in key sectors such as construction, engineering, health & social care and digital, and we are encouraged by the strong growth in awareness, uptake and positive outcomes from T Levels.
“Our recent moves to slash red tape will help support T-Levels as a high-class vocational qualification, ensuring they provide a strong, hands-on experience for students, and high-quality training opportunities to build a workforce fit for the future.
“We will consider the recommendations of the PAC carefully, to help continue to increase the number of young people benefitting from these qualifications, and set out our response in due course.”
