T Levels, Agriculture and the land-based workforce of the future
By nature, the land-based sector is diverse and offers a variety of exciting opportunities and career paths to choose from.
08 July 2022
In recent times, the sector has seen shortages in the workforce, in part due to the Covid-19 pandemic and Brexit. However, with the right training and education, there’s an opportunity to fill the gap in skills and the workforce.
For those looking to enter the sector, the new generation of Technical Qualifications (T Levels) in Agriculture, Environmental and Animal Care are due to launch in September 2023. Delivered over a two-year period, T Levels bring classroom learning and an extended industry placement together to provide a combination of technical knowledge and practical skills that are specific to a chosen industry or occupation. Learners also undertake an industry placement of 45 days in their chosen industry or occupation in addition to covering relevant maths, English and digital skills.
For the Agriculture Sector, in the T Level there are two Occupational Specialisms (OS) learners can choose from - Crop Production or Livestock Production.
The Crop Production OS topics include:
- Knowledge of the conditions required for optimal crop yield and quality
- Knowledge of the tools, equipment and materials used in crop production
- Knowledge of processes and methods used in managing crop production and the surrounding areas
- Skills in establishing crops
- Skills in managing crops
- Skills in harvesting and storage of crops
- Skills in maintaining areas surrounding the crop production area
The Livestock Production OS topics include:
- Knowledge of conditions required for optimal animal breeding and production
- Knowledge of the tools, equipment, and materials used in managing livestock
- Knowledge of processes and methods used in managing livestock and the surrounding areas.
- Skills in optimising animal breeding and production
- Skills in rearing and optimising livestock production
- Skills in maintaining areas surrounding livestock
Opportunity to shape T Levels
Developing the T Level in collaboration with industry employers and businesses is a critical element to its success. By working together, we can ensure that the qualification and assessment content accurately captures current industry practices – ensuring that learners are equipped with the right knowledge and skills to enter work within the sector.
“define and shape a recruitment pool of work-ready learners”
By offering T Level learners an industry placement, employers will build relationships with their future work force, have the opportunity to directly input to their skills development and ultimately define and shape a recruitment pool of work-ready learners.
Employers who then use this work-pool to address their employment pipeline challenges can be confident that the individual is committed to a career in the industry and has the relevant knowledge and skills to drive their business forward in a competitive market.
How to get involved in T Levels
There are a number of ways that employers can get involved in the development of the TQs, from registering to receive email updates, to taking part in the essential validation groups that provide feedback on the content and assessments.
To read more about the Agriculture, Environment and Animal Care T Level, visit our dedicated webpage, or sign up to receive updates.
To be involved in the validation groups, please contact Sally Green, Industry Manager for Land-based Services (T Levels) on sally.green@cityandguilds.com.
Note for readers: In October 2021, City & Guilds were successful in securing the contract with the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (The Institute) to develop the new Technical Qualifications (TQs) that will be a component of the new Agriculture, Environmental and Animal Care T Level.