Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of age limits in regulated professions on the ability of colleges to provide industry placements for T-level students.

Regulatory and health and safety considerations vary from sector to sector, including environments where it is acceptable for under-18s to work legally or safely. For industry placements, the same considerations should be made as with any new employee an organisation takes on. For example, many NHS organisations allow under-18s in clinical settings following a risk assessment and after putting in place reasonable adjustments to mitigate the risks.

The department has already built flexibility into the system with provision for placement hours to be delivered in a variety of different methods, including at pathway level or in simulated environments. These delivery models have been put in place to mitigate against situations where it is difficult to accommodate under-18s.

Further information on these approaches can be found at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1166331/Annex_A_industry_placement_delivery_approaches_guidance.pdf.

The department encourages providers to support their local employers in updating risk assessments and putting in place reasonable adjustments to mitigate any risks. Employers may also consider discussing requirements with their insurance provider. More general information on best practice can be found here: https://employers.tlevels.gov.uk/hc/en-gb/categories/4403442822418-During-industry-placements.