West London College Launches T-Levels

West London College is launching four T-Levels in Business, Digital, Health and Science to start this September 2023. Introduced by the Government to ensure young people in the UK have first-class industry-level skills, T-Levels have been designed by leading businesses, employers and educational experts. A T-Level is broadly equal to 3 A-Levels.

West London College will continue to offer Business, Computing and IT, Health and Social Care and Applied Science BTEC Level 3 qualifications at the same time as T-Levels. Over time, T-Levels will replace our BTECs and other vocational qualifications.

T-Levels are Level 3 qualifications for 16-19s after GCSEs as an alternative to A-levels and other post-16 courses, such as BTECs or apprenticeships. While vocational qualifications, such as BTEC currently offer a one-year programme of study (roughly equal to 1.5 A-Levels), which can be extended to two years of study, (equal to 3 A-Levels), T-Levels are two-year courses.

Salem Bekele, Head of Business, Professional Studies and Science at West London College, says: “The biggest difference between the older style vocational qualifications and T-Levels is the work experience element.”

T-Level students spend 80% of their time in the classroom and 20% on a 45-day placement with an employer to acquire the sector skills, knowledge and behaviours employers are looking for. This contrasts with an apprenticeship where learners spend 80% of their time with their employer and 20% of their time learning off the job.

Salem continued: “We expect students to attend three days a week at college on a T-Level, and to spend two days a week in industry in their second year.”

While there are two exams to take to pass a T-Level, most of the work is project-based and related to work experience.

Lila Djellout, West London College Deputy Head of Science said: “Science students will work in real live laboratories, examining samples, making measurements and analysing data directly on behalf of their employers.”

When you pass your T-Level, you will get a nationally recognised certificate showing the overall grade you achieved – pass, merit, distinction or distinction*. It will also give details of what you learned on the course to help you move into skilled employment, a higher apprenticeship or to go to university. T-Levels are equivalent to UCAS points. A T-Level Distinction* is worth the same as 3 A-Levels at A*. 

There are no tuition fees to study a T-Level if you start before you are 19, and in 2022, over 92% nationally of T-Level students achieved a ‘Pass’ or above.