Procurement description
The Department for Education (DfE) is undertaking further market engagement following a Preliminary Market Engagement event undertaken on August 12th 2025 on the broad range of T Level Support Services being explored. This engagement session will be focused on a subset of these requirements; exploring future delivery options for T Level Industry Placement Support Services.
We invite organisations with relevant expertise to help shape how these services are delivered from September 2026. This is a valuable opportunity to help shape the next phase of how we support employers and providers to deliver T Level Industry Placements, an essential element of T Level qualifications. The DfE is particularly interested in hearing from suppliers with the capability and capacity to deliver these services at scale across England.
In addition to the T Level focused requirement, the government has also committed significant funding to increase the supply and take-up of industry placements in the construction sector for those learners not undertaking a T Level - with a view to increasing the supply of work-ready students able to progress into the sector. To support this policy aim, we would also be looking for the creation of a limited set of resources to promote the benefits of placement experience specifically in the construction sector.
Background and Policy Objectives
T Levels, launched in 2020, are employer-designed qualifications that integrate classroom learning with meaningful industry placements.
Industry placements are a mandatory component of the T Level Qualification, enabling students to develop skills and knowledge learnt in the classroom in a workplace setting. To complete an industry placement, students must have demonstrated sufficient progress towards their learning goals, worked directly with an external employer, and met the minimum hours requirement (315 hours).
As the programme matures, the DfE is entering a new phase focused on scaling up provision and enhancing delivery quality. The DfE remains committed to supporting the T Level programme through continued funding. However, as the programme becomes more established, the nature of this support will evolve, meaning future services will look different from how support has been delivered to date.
To date, Industry Placement support has focused on:
• Support for providers to effectively engage with employers to source industry placements that are aligned with the T Level curriculum and support future progression into skilled employment, and
• Support for employers to understand how T Levels can support their workforce needs and increase their ability to host meaningful placements.
The strategic aim is to ensure there are enough high-quality industry placement opportunities available for students as the T Level programme scales up. For providers, this means continuing to support and upskill them on all aspects of industry placement delivery, all whilst transitioning towards a more self-sustaining system. For employers, this means continuing to build their T Level awareness, motivation and readiness to deliver high-quality placements.
Identified Needs
• Providers need support at both strategic and operational levels to embed and scale industry placements. This includes overcoming barriers to securing sufficient placements to match growth in learner numbers across T Level subjects, ensuring students are prepared for the workplace and building strong connections with employers and industry partners at a local level to ensure repeat placement opportunities.
• Employers can be motivated by benefits such as attracting new talent, addressing skills shortages, and developing a skilled workforce. These motivators need to be explained and reinforced. Employers may face real or perceived barriers to hosting placements, which need to be addressed through targeted support and myth-busting. The quality of industry placements has a major impact on T Level students’ outcomes and overall experience, so employers need to know how to offer a meaningful experience that delivers benefits for students and for their own workforce goals.
Scope of Future Services
The DfE is exploring options for future Industry Placement Support Services that will:
• Support providers in delivering and scaling up their industry placement offers, enhancing both the quality and quantity of industry placements through effective engagement with employers and other facilitators to source and deliver placement opportunities.
• Support employers in engaging effectively with T Levels, raising awareness and increasing appetite to host and delivering meaningful, scalable placement programmes.
These services will be designed to support both new and existing providers, as well as employers, and must be delivered effectively across England to ensure the continued expansion and long-term sustainability of T Level delivery. There must also be flexibility to respond to any emerging issues or any changes in the wider policy context.