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Technical and vocational education and training (VET) is a crucial part of any economy and education system. In particular, upper secondary VET systems are responsible for educating a large proportion of the population, significantly impacting productivity, economic growth and skills shortages. In this paper, we analyse the short-run impacts of a new set of hybrid upper secondary VET qualifications in the UK: T levels. T levels are large (3 A levels in size) VET qualifications that are more academically oriented than other VET qualifications and combine classroom learning with work-based experience and placements. T levels are part of a broader global trend towards combining academic and vocational tracks into one programme in upper secondary education. Using a combination of methods (instrumental variables, regression adjustment and matching), we find overall, early indications of initial T levels having negative short-run impacts. T level students are significantly less likely to achieve a full level 3 by the age of 18. However, T level students are more likely to progress to advanced apprenticeships and higher technical study. We show that these impacts are more negative for the marginal student and when considering other level 3 vocational pathways as an alternate form of study. We also find heterogeneity by T level pathway (subject), indicating that some pathways are performing significantly better than others.
