Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance her Department provides to large employers launching work experience initiatives to ensure that placements are paired with formal qualifications or skills accreditation.

T Levels are the flagship technical qualification for 16 to 19-year-olds and include a mandatory industry placement. These placements provide students with substantial, high-quality, hands‑on experience to develop the skills needed for future employment. Departmental guidance supports providers and employers to design placements with learning goals linked to curriculum content, enabling students to apply the skills and knowledge gained through their qualification. Guidance is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/t-level-industry-placements-guidance-for-providers.

The department also provides a national programme of support to help employers deliver high-quality industry placements, including workshops, webinars and practical online guidance. Further details can be found at: https://employers.tlevels.gov.uk/hc/en-gb.

In addition, the government is introducing new technical educational routes from age 14. These new pathways will combine high-quality vocational qualifications alongside GCSEs, careers guidance and meaningful work experience opportunities. The department will work closely with the Careers & Enterprise Company to provide guidance for employers on offering high-quality work experience placements aligned with these pathways.