Skip to main content
Nottingham College logo

Key Details

Course Area:

T Levels

Student Type:

16 - 18

Course Type:

Full-time FE course

Course Introduction

A T Level is a composite technical study programme, aimed at preparing young people for work, higher level apprenticeships or higher education (HE).

Route core elements:

  • Business context
  • Culture
  • Data
  • Digital analysis
  • Digital environments
  • Diversity and inclusion
  • Learning
  • Legislation
  • Planning
  • Security
  • Testing
  • Tools

The pathway core:

  • Careers within the digital support services sector
  • Communication in digital support services
  • Fault analysis and problem resolution

Core skills:

  • Communicate information clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholders
  • Working with stakeholders to clarify and consider options to meet requirements
  • Apply a logical approach to solving problems, identifying and resolving faults, whilst recording progress and solutions to meet requirements
  • Ensure activity avoids risks to security

Occupational specialism: Digital Support:

  • Apply procedures and controls to maintain the digital security of an organisation and its data
  • Install, configure and support software applications and operating systems
  • Discover, evaluate and apply reliable sources of knowledge

The purpose of the T Level Technical Qualification in Digital Support Services is to ensure you have the knowledge and skills needed to progress into skilled employment or higher-level technical training relevant to the T Level.

The objectives of this qualification are to equip you with:

  • the core knowledge and skills relevant to digital support services
  • up-to-date occupational knowledge and skills that have continued currency amongst employers and others
  • the necessary English, mathematics, and digital skills
  • threshold competence that meets employer expectations and is as close to full occupational competence as possible
  • opportunities to manage and improve their own performance

Industry placement experience:

Industry placements are intended to provide you with the opportunity to develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours required for skilled employment in your chosen occupation and which are less easily attainable by completing a qualification alone. As part of achieving the overall T Level programme, you will be required to complete a minimum of 315 hours industry placement. It is the provider’s responsibility to ensure the minimum number of hours is undertaken by the student. There may be specific requirements for providers and employers to consider prior to the student commencing a work placement.

Course Information

T Level - Technical Qualification in Digital Support Services - NCFE - Level 3

Level 3

You’ll need a minimum of 5 GCSEs at grades 9–5, including English, Maths and IT, or a relevant Level 2 IT qualification with GCSE English and Maths at grades 9–5.

You also will need to attend an interview, to ensure you have the sufficient IT knowledge and skills required to enrol on this course.

Core component:

  • 2 written examinations
  • employer-set project (ESP)

In order to achieve a grade for the core component, you must have results for both sub-components (the core (written) examination and the ESP).

The combined results from these sub-components will be aggregated to form the overall core component grade (A*–E and U).

If you fail to reach the minimum standard across all sub-components, you will receive a U grade. No overall grade will be issued for the core component until both sub-components have been attempted.

Occupational specialism component:

  • synoptic assignment

You will also be required to successfully achieve a distinction/merit/pass grade in the occupational specialism component. If to reach the you fail to reach level of attainment, you will receive a U grade.

Students who achieve this qualification could progress to the following:

Employment as:

  • digital support technician
  • digital applications technician
  • digital service technician
  • infrastructure technician
  • IT solutions technician
  • hardware solutions
  • software solutions

Apprenticeship (progression onto lower-level apprenticeships may also be possible in some circumstances, if the content is sufficiently different)

Students aged 16-18 don't have to pay tuition fees.

If you are an EU/EEA or Swiss National, please visit our EU Settled Status scheme page for more information.