First V-level subjects announced with aim to 'prepare for future jobs'

Education, finance, and digital are among the first new V-level subjects to roll out in England from 2027.

The education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, says the bold reforms will bring an end to post-16 education and prepare young people to pursue lucrative, future-proof careers.

Any GCSE-level post-16 qualifications for lower-attaining students have also been announced, whether by further study or occupational paths.

The Sixth Form Colleges Association (the government's decision to keep BTecs, as well as the government''s plan to keep them BTec, despite the fact that V-levels

Following the number of young people not working, working, or training increasing to nearly one million, the government claims that its post-16 plans are historic steps to help young people secure well-paid jobs.

The first V-levels, or vocational certificates, from 2027 will be in education and early years, finance and accounting, and digital, according to the government.

According to the university, real careers and the skills employers really need will be developed to assist young people in seeking well-paying jobs.

Students will be enrolled in A-levels and T-level courses, and they will be equivalent to one A-level, allowing students to choose and match academic and vocational subjects if they so desire.

New services such as agriculture, environmental and animal care, catering and hospitality, hair and beauty, and security will be included in 2029.

Then from 2030, art and performing arts, as well as travel and tourism, will be available as V-levels.

The government revealed in October 2025 that V-levels would be introduced to 16-year-olds in England as part of government initiatives to simplify a confusing landscape of qualifications.

They are expected to replace Level 3 BTECs and other postgraduate technical qualifications.

According to the Department of Education, this is progress toward Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's target, which will bring two-thirds of young people into a gold-standard apprenticeship, higher education, or university by the age of 25, which will fuel job growth, as well as lowering the number of young adults who are not involved in education, employment, or training (Neet).

According to Ken Merry, principal of York College, which offers a variety of career paths, T-levels, A-levelling, and apprenticeships for students, the V-level has the potential to level the playing field for some young people.

I'm really excited to see them develop over the next few years until we've got a complete complement of V-levels and a comprehensive range of A-level qualifications,

he says.

According to him, students' ability to mix and match V-levels and A-level assessments would be highly beneficial, giving them "more of a hybrid mix that will really help them succeed in the future.

"I think that V-levels have the potential to be a game changer in education.

Freya, 18, is a student at York College and a member of Team GB handball. She started at the college as an A-level but later switched to a sport and exercise science BTEC.

Freya believes that a vocational route was the right option for her, both in terms of her career aspirations and managing her workload and exam anxiety.

She finds a variety of different post-graduate routes for students amazing because it isn't really the same world it was in when A-levels were introduced.

She believes that applying her learning during the course rather than memorising it for an exam is more beneficial for universities and employers.

I think I made the right decision moving because it has given me a lot of opportunities to learn about workplaces,

she says.

The government has also announced its plans for vocational education for 16-year-olds who are not able to progress beyond the GCSE equivalent level due to lower achievement.

These level two qualifications will be available in two ways: an occupational pathway and a further study pathway.

According to the DfE, the career path, which will be two years long, would be for those who want to work in the workplace or an apprenticeship.

Beginning next year, the first courses will include catering and hospitality, education, and early years.

Students who wish to progress to A-levels, T-level, or V-level courses will be able to complete the higher education pathway, which will be one year long.

Starting next year, education and early years will be available as well as digital courses.

Many other subjects will be introduced starting in 2028, in accordance with the V-level subject areas.

The Sixth Form College Association's chief executive, Bill Watkin, said the government would continue to offer BTec degrees, although V-level qualifications were phased in.

Colleges and schools can now make the most of this period of stability and certainty to ensure that tens of thousands of young people have an uninterrupted educational experience while still engaging constructively and focusing on the design and rollout of V-levels.

V-levels had

real potential to broaden access to high-quality vocational and technical education,

according to Daniel Kebede, the government's general secretary, but the government should protect student choice, maintain equity, and avoid defunding current qualifications until proven alternatives are in place.