TO BE PUBLISHED May 2026
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This conference will examine next steps for Higher Technical Qualifications in England. As provision expands across Level 4 and 5, delegates will discuss examine implications for providers, awarding organisations, employers and delivery partners.
It will bring stakeholders and policymakers together to consider priorities for design, regulation and rollout, and what will be needed to build employer and learner confidence as delivery scales. Discussion will reflect proposals in the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper, including its focus on aligning HTQs with wider skills reform, strengthening employer engagement, and improving coherent progression across Level 4 and 5 pathways.
Developing HTQs, responsiveness, standards & awarding powers
Attendees will assess the way forward for development and rollout of HTQs, including practical implications of new awarding powers for the Office for Students and priorities for Skills England in coordinating technical route approvals. Discussion will consider how licensing and approval processes for Level 4 and 5 qualifications can best support consistency across the system while remaining responsive to employer demand, sector-specific needs and provider capacity.
Looking at the operation of the licensing route in practice, sessions will bring out considerations for maintaining occupational standards and safeguarding assessment integrity as delivery expands. Delegates will also examine operational and workforce implications for awarding bodies, including quality assurance responsibilities, alignment of delegated powers with existing oversight arrangements, and approaches to securing consistent standards across providers and sectors.
Funding rollout, levy support, provider sustainability & delivery capacity
Discussion will examine the adequacy of current funding arrangements in terms of supporting initial rollout and sustainable growth, including workforce development, equipment requirements and learner demand as HTQs scale.
Sessions will consider the role of transitional funding, Lifelong Learning Entitlement transition grants, and the Growth and Skills Levy in supporting short-term viability and longer-term sustainability for providers. Attendees will also assess how funding arrangements interact with modular provision and flexible delivery models, and what this may mean for uptake, delivery planning and learner progression.
Further discussion will address how levy funding supports employer-aligned provision at Levels 4 and 5, options for better alignment with regional and sectoral skills priorities, and implications for providers operating across multiple funding streams. Administrative and compliance burdens associated with new funding mechanisms, reporting requirements and learner finance arrangements will also be considered, particularly their impact on capacity, participation and planning certainty for smaller and regionally-focused institutions.
Implementation practicalities
The agenda will consider steps for enhancing provider readiness, including targeting funding, approaches to scaling delivery, regional coordination, workforce development and aligning provision with labour market demand.
Delegates will discuss options for addressing operational pressures, regional variation and capacity constraints, alongside practical challenges such as staffing shortages, cross-site delivery and disparities in readiness across regions. Sessions will also assess strategies for modular or block delivery models, alongside approaches to credit transfer, learner progression and resourcing and facilities required to deliver HTQs effectively.
Employer confidence, involvement & visibility of HTQs
Discussion will consider priorities for employer engagement, building confidence in HTQs, and raising visibility with learners, employers and careers advisers, alongside approaches to improving accessibility.
Sessions will examine frameworks for employer involvement in curriculum design and assessment, approaches to maintaining consistency across sectors, and strategies for engaging both large and small employers. Delegates will also assess frameworks for employer feedback to inform course content, delivery and assessment over time, and what is needed to strengthen awareness of HTQs as a credible technical option.
HTQs within the wider qualifications landscape
Sessions will assess priorities for establishing a clear HTQ identity within the technical education landscape, including their place alongside T Levels, V Levels, apprenticeships and degree-level study, and how progression pathways are structured and communicated.
Discussion will consider duplication and overlap with other technical routes, how HTQs complement existing provision, and approaches to clarifying progression routes for employers, learners and careers advisers. Sector-specific perspectives will be brought out, including those of smaller providers, awarding organisations and employer groups, alongside implications for learner choice, provider planning and regulatory expectations.
Planning & role in meeting skills needs
Considering how HTQs can help address skills gaps in the labour market, sessions will examine how labour market intelligence can inform planning, support equitable access and ensure provision remains responsive to regional and sectoral needs. Perspectives are expected from local authorities, combined authorities, employers and providers.
Delegates will also discuss practical implications for workforce deployment, capacity-building and regional coordination, and the role of funding - including the Growth and Skills Levy - in supporting sustainable delivery, reducing regional variation, and aligning provision with national and local priorities.
All delegates will be able to contribute to the output of the conference, which will be shared with parliamentary, ministerial, departmental and regulatory offices, and more widely. This includes the full proceedings and additional articles submitted by delegates. As well as key stakeholders, those already due to attend include officials from the Department for Education; Department for Business and Trade; Department for Energy Security and Net Zero; Department of Health and Social Care; Department for the Economy, NI; Skills England; and the Welsh Government.
