There are so many qualifications, all with different names that you may have never heard of before! T-Levels describe a qualification which many students haven’t heard of. Most students believe that after you have completed GCSEs, the only options are to do A-Levels, BTECs or an apprenticeship. However, this is not the case! T-Levels may seem foreign at to you now, however they are gaining popularity and offer an alternative choice.
If you want to discover what T-Levels actually are and delve into finding out whether they would be right for you, carry on reading!
Disclaimer: This article reflects the opinions of the student writer. Therefore, the information in this article cannot account for everyone because everybody is different and are entitled to their own individual opinions.
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Who are T-Levels for?
T-Levels are a relatively new type of qualification, as they were only launched in September 2020! A T-Level is equivalent to the qualifications you will gain from three A-Levels.
They take around two years to complete, which is the same length of time that A-Levels take. Check out this Think Student article if you want to find out more about the T-Level qualification.
T-Levels are usually taken by students after they have completed their GCSEs. As a result, T-Levels are qualifications normally aimed towards 16–19-year-olds, after they have finished Year 11.
Despite this, you can actually study for T-Levels up to the age of 24 in some circumstances. However, this is only the case if you have an education, health or care plan. You can find out more about the age limit for T-Levels on this article from Think Student.
Should you take T-Levels?
T-Levels are different to A-Levels. This is because they combine work experience and practical learning with knowledge-based learning in the classroom.
You are supported through an industry placement and as a result, spend at least 315 hours in work experience. You can find out more T-Level facts on the government website, if you click here.
Therefore, T-Levels would be a great next step in your education if you enjoy on-the-job learning. If you feel that you learn more effectively when working practically instead of always learning for exams, then T-Levels could be a great option for you!
However, you need to be aware that not all of the learning is practical. You will still have to learn at a school or college. You will have to learn in a classroom 80% of the time.
However, the 20% of the time you spend working is much more time than you would be spending during A-Levels! Check out this digital poster from the government website to see a summary of the facts.
Are T-Levels right for you?
This question depends on what kind of learning you like the most and find the most effective. For example, if you enjoy learning in a classroom and being assessed with coursework and exams, A-Levels would be a good choice for you.
Apprenticeships are similar to T-Levels. However, during an apprenticeship, you are actually paid for your work. In comparison, T-Levels are just educational and you do not usually get paid.
Therefore, if pay is important to you, then apprenticeships may be better. You can find out more about wages and T-Levels, if you check out this article from Think Student.
However, T-Levels are aimed at young people. Therefore, as a student, you may be better suited to T-Levels because they are more suited to your educational level.
In contrast, you can do apprenticeships at any age. Check out this article from Think Student if you want to compare apprenticeships and T-Levels.
T-Levels, like all qualifications, require an immense amount of work. This is because you have to take part in work placements, complete projects and do classroom learning.
In comparison, BTECs are mostly coursework based. Therefore, if you prefer coursework instead of the varied ways of learning during completing a T-Level, BTECs may be a better option for you.
Check out this article from Think Student if you want to compare BTECs and T-Levels even more!
What are the pros of T-Levels?
There are many pros to choosing to do T-Levels. The main one is that they allow you to do hands-on learning. This means that when you do get a job related to the industry your T-Level is in, you will already have the necessary skills for this job.
T-Levels are also very specific to job roles. Therefore, if you have an interest in a certain job, T-Levels can be a great way to prepare you for this.
However, if you don’t, it may be better to take A-Levels, as you can learn a variety of subjects.
Completing T-Levels could actually be very impressive to employers. This is because they will see that you already have the right set of skills needed to function in a work-place environment.
What are the cons of T-Levels?
Despite all of the pros, T-Levels do have some cons. However, these are quite minor. For example, T-Levels are relatively new. As a result, there aren’t as many T-Levels as there are apprenticeships for example.
Further to this, once you have completed a T-Level, it only provides you with skills for that particular industry. This is in comparison to A-Levels where you can learn a variety of subjects.
A-Levels can then allow you to delve into an immense number of careers in comparison to T-Levels. Regardless, T-Levels do offer a range of job sectors. Check out this list from the T-Level government website to get some ideas.
Unfortunately, T-Levels do involve classroom based learning and written assessments. This means that they are not completely practical, if that’s what you were hoping.
However, this isn’t a bad thing! Being assessed and taught in a variety of ways just sets you up for the real world. You can find out more about how T-Levels are assessed if you read this article from Think Student.
If you want to gain a better understanding about what T-Levels actually are, check out this article from UCAS for all of the facts.
As you can see, there are some cons to T-Levels. However, every type of qualification has some drawbacks! Therefore, it is up to you to compare these pros and cons and decide whether T-Levels are the right qualification for you.