Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the National Semiconductor Strategy, published 19 May 2023, whether her Department plans to create BTEC courses in relevant skills to help support young people enter the semiconductor industry.

Apprenticeships and technical qualifications such as T Levels must be based on occupational standards codesigned with employers and approved by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education.

At level 3, T Levels are the new, world class technical qualifications that are being rolled out across the country. The T Level in “Building Services Engineering for Construction” provides young people with an in-depth understanding of the construction sector. This includes an occupational specialism in “Electrical and electronic equipment engineering”, covering the properties, construction, and function of semiconductor devices.

As outlined in the National Semiconductor Strategy, the department will work with employers to ensure that occupational standards meet the specific requirements of employers in the semiconductor sector, to increase the flow of talented people into the industry.