T-Level in Design and Development for Engineering and Manufacturing

Is this course for me?

T-Levels are a 2-year qualification that you can do after GCSEs as an alternative to A Levels, other post-16 courses, or an apprenticeship.

They have been designed with leading businesses and employers to give you the knowledge and skills you need.

You’ll spend 80% of your time in the classroom and 20% on a 45-day placement with an employer to give you the skills and knowledge companies look for.

Your industry placement gives you the chance to learn what a real career is like while you continue your studies. When and how you complete it depends on the T-Level, school or college, and employer.

Like A levels and BTECs, there are no tuition fees to study a T Level if you start before you are 19.

Study Overview

Students will develop an understanding of a broad range of issues relevant to the sector, including:

• working within the Engineering and Manufacturing Sectors – an understanding of how materials, conditions and context influence design processes and products
• essential mathematics for engineering and manufacturing – a knowledge and understanding of mathematics including standard matrices and determinants and standard trigonometry
• materials and their properties – understanding material processing techniques and their effects on materials and material quality, the condition of materials, how these are managed, and materials testing methods and techniques
• business, commercial and financial awareness - basic commercial principles including commercial priorities and markets, customers/clients/partners and resource allocation

 In addition to the core content, each student will also complete at least one module of occupation-specific content. The specialisms available in the Design and Development for Engineering and Manufacturing T Level are:

• mechanical engineering
• electrical and electronic engineering
• control and instrumentation engineering
• structural engineering

Progression and Employment Opportunities

Following a T Level, you could progress into a skilled profession such as CAD Technician, 3D Printing Technician, Structural or Mechanical Engineer and many more or continue your studies with a degree or higher-level apprenticeship.

In 2022, 71% of students who applied to university secured a place, while other T Level graduates moved into employment and higher apprenticeships.