Training to a new level

Mike Westlake, UK and Central & Eastern Europe (CEE) manager at Autodesk, has been appointed to lead the Government’s Engineering and Manufacturing T-Levels panel, as part of a major reform of technical education in the UK.

As chair, his responsibilities will help to nurture a generation of home-grown talent and deliver a skills revolution for Britain. Over the coming months he will help to develop the content for the new T-Levels, which will be taught from 2020.

Mr Westlake commented: “The engineering and manufacturing industry is being hugely disrupted by technologies such as machine learning, robotics, additive manufacturing and advances in artificial intelligence This completely transforms the requirements of the workforce. This poses new challenges in the way we educate that workforce. T levels give us the opportunity to prepare students for the future of work, taking all the technological advancements into account. One of the key differentiators is that all T level programmes include substantial, high-quality work placements to allow students to directly apply their learning in a real-world environment.

“T levels will sit alongside apprenticeships within a reformed skills training system. This reform is a radical collaboration between government, business and education and training providers. Now we are leaving the EU it is imperative we create a skills revolution in this country to meet the needs of our economy.

“We currently have a system that does not work, hence the skills gap this country faces. Part of the failing of the system is that it is confusing and has an ever-changing, multitude of qualifications. This reform will give clarity to the student about what T level they should take to get to their chosen occupation. It also gives employers clarity on which T level they recruit from. Just as A levels are demanded by universities, T levels should be demanded by employers.”

The first of the new T level qualifications, with content developed by leading industry professionals from companies including Rolls-Royce, Fuijitsu Autodesk and EDF, will be taught from 2020, with the full set of T levels introduced by 2022.

First announced in 2016 and backed by £500 million every year in additional funding, the qualifications are a key milestone in transforming technical education in the UK and extends the offer for young people to study a technical qualification at level 3 - equivalent to A levels.

Mr Westlake added: “We have a very good overview of what the future of work looks like and what mindsets, skillsets and toolsets are required to combat new challenges. I am incredibly proud and honoured to be chairing the Engineering and Manufacturing panel and Autodesk has been very supportive.

“The main deliverable for the panel is to ensure that the T level meets the stringent requirements by the most technologically advanced industries not just in the UK, but globally. The panel will need to ensure that young people can see a clear path to get from school to their chosen occupation.

“T levels also need to be as rigorous as A levels. Another goal is to change public perception that industries such as engineering, construction or manufacturing are low-skilled. T levels will be key in changing the perception that technical education is somehow inferior to academic education. We want to see parity between how an A level and T level is regarded by academia and industry.”

Education Secretary Justine Greening said: “We are transforming technical education in this country, developing our home-grown talent so that our young people have the world class skills and knowledge that employers need.

“As part of making sure that the technical education ladder reaches every bit as high as the academic one, I want to see T levels that are as rigorous and respected as A levels.”

AUTODESK www.autodesk.co.uk