Association of Colleges secures £20m T Level teacher training contract

The Association of Colleges (AoC) will assume responsibility for a £20 million teacher training contract this summer, taking over the delivery of T Level continuing professional development (CPD) from the Education and Training Foundation (ETF). This shift in provision marks a significant change in how technical education staff are supported to deliver T Levels, the vocational qualifications introduced as part of wider skills reforms to prepare young people for employment. For local authorities and their cabinet members with responsibility for skills and economic development, the quality of T Level provision directly impacts post-16 options for young people in their areas. The contract change raises questions about continuity of support for college staff and how the new arrangements will affect local further education providers who rely on high-quality training to maintain standards in these flagship technical qualifications. The transition, taking effect this summer, comes as colleges continue to expand their T Level offer to meet government ambitions for technical education. Lead Members may wish to engage with local further education providers to understand how this change in national training infrastructure will affect their workforce development plans and, ultimately, the skills pipeline for local employers.