News story: Level 4 & 5 technical education to be reviewed

The Department for Education has today (31 October) confirmed its intention to conduct a review into higher level technical education.

The review will look across Level 4 & 5 education, focusing on how technical qualifications at this level can better address the needs of learners and employers.

This includes ensuring that learners can progress from the government’s new T Levels, and other full time education, into the workplace. It will also consider how these qualifications work for those in the workforce looking to upskill or retrain.

Employers, providers, learners, and others with expertise in this area will all feed into the review, which is part of the Government’s commitment to support routes to higher-earning technical roles and address the skills needs of the economy.

It follows the recent announcement of the first T level subjects that will be taught from 2020.

Apprenticeships and Skills Minister Anne Milton said:

High quality technical education helps young people and adults get into new, fulfilling and better paid careers. That’s good for them and good for our economy. This is the way we build a better, higher skilled workforce.

We are already taking steps to improve technical education with investment in apprenticeships and the creation of T levels. This review is the next logical step in that process.

Further Information

This review builds on the Post-16 Skills Plan, the recommendations of the Sainsbury Panel, and will be shaped by the Technical and Further Education Act 2017 and Higher Education Research Act 2017.

The review covers the whole of Level 4 and 5 education, with a particular focus on technical qualifications.

Stakeholders can engage with us by contacting Level4-5.Team@education.gov.uk

Level 4 qualifications are:

  • certificate of higher education (CertHE)
  • higher national certificate (HNC)
  • level 4 award
  • level 4 certificate
  • level 4 diploma
  • level 4 NVQ

Level 5 qualifications are:

  • diploma of higher education (DipHE)
  • foundation degree
  • higher national diploma (HND)
  • level 5 award
  • level 5 certificate
  • level 5 diploma
  • level 5 NVQ