The awarding organisations that will develop, deliver and award the first three T-levels have been revealed by the government.
Following a competitive tender, NCFE has been awarded a contract to deliver the education and childcare pathway, and Pearson has been awarded contracts to deliver T-levels in design, surveying and planning as well digital production, design and development.
The contracts are worth £17.5 million in total and give the awarding organisations exclusive rights to deliver each T-level subject.
Stewart Foster, managing director of NCFE Awarding, said his organisation is “excited to be at the forefront of the implementation of T-levels”.
Rod Bristow, President of Pearson in the UK, said: “The award of these licenses recognises our longstanding collaboration and partnership with employers of all sizes to design, develop and deliver world class qualifications in these industries.”
The government’s decision to have a single awarding body per T-level has proved to be highly contentious.
It was one of the reasons why the Federation of Awarding Bodies threatened the Department for Education with legal action in the summer, but the department has held firm with the policy.
Fifty providers will deliver the first three T-levels from 2020.
Education secretary Damian Hinds said today: “This is a major step forward in our work to upgrade technical education in this country.
“T-levels are a once in a generation opportunity to create high-quality technical education courses on a par with the best in the world, so that young people gain the skills and experience they need to secure a good job, an apprenticeship or progress into further training.
“We have made significant progress to implement these vital reforms which are on track for delivery from 2020.”
Sir Gerry Berragan, chief executive of the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education, which took over the running of T-levels this month, said: “I am really pleased at the pace the work has developed and the institute will continue to build on the work of DfE.
“Technical education offers a real and exciting alternative to A-levels for young people, with T-levels now sitting alongside apprenticeships.”
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