Qualifications

Qualifications are awards you get to show what you have learned.

 

You can do qualifications at school. If you want to continue learning after you are 16 you might choose to go to a different school or college to get a qualification.

When you are choosing a qualification you need to think about picking one at the right level for you.

If you pick a qualification that is too hard you may not be able to do the work.

 

If you pick a qualification that is too easy you might get bored.

 

If you know what kind of job you want to do you can choose a qualification that helps you learn more about doing the job.

The list below shows the different levels of qualifications:

Entry Level Qualification

• Certificate in skills for working life.
• Certificate in Adult Literacy
• Certificate in Adult Numeracy

Jobs you can do after Entry Level

• Shop assistant
• Packer

Level 1 Qualification

• GCSEs (D to G)
• BTEC Certificate or Diploma
• NVQ Level 1

Jobs you can do after Level 1

• Labourer
• Care assistant

Level 2 Qualification

• GCSEs (A* to C)
• BTEC First Diploma
• NVQ Level 2
• Apprenticeship

Jobs you can do after Level 2

• Car mechanic
• Receptionist

Level 3 Qualification

• A/AS level
• BTEC National Diploma
• NVQ level 3
• Advanced apprenticeship

Jobs you can do after Level 3

• Hairdresser
• Plumber

Choosing the right qualification can be hard so it’s a good idea to get help making the decision.

There are lots of different people who can help you choose a qualification.

If you need help choosing a qualification you could talk to:

• Your teacher.
• Your Connexions personal adviser.
• People at the college you want to go to.
  

These are qualifications you can get to show that you can do a job.
You can get NVQs for lots of different sorts of jobs like:

• childcare
• hairdressing
• motor mechanics