This section provides information on Qualifications

Qualifications

There are three main qualification areas:

• General qualifications (also known as academic qualifications)
• Vocational qualifications (which prepare you for a job)
• Occupational qualifications (which you take when you're in a job)

Qualifications can be a different levels as illustrated in the table below:

 

	General qualifications	Vocational qualifications	Occupational qualifications
Level 8	Doctorates eg., PhD	Specialist Awards	Specialist Awards
Level 7	Masters Degrees eg., MSc	Postgraduate Certificates and Diplomas	NVQ Level 7
Level 6	Degree		NVQ Level 6
Level 5		BTEC Higher National Diploma or Foundation Degree	NVQ Level 5
Level 4		HNC or Foundation Degree	NVQ Level  4
Level 3	GCE A Levels or equivalent AS Levels, International Baccalaureate	Vocational A Levels known as advanced GCE, BTEC National Diploma, CACHE Diploma	NVQ Level 3 (Advanced Apprenticeship)
Level 2	GCSE grades A*-C	Vocational GCSEs, BTEC First	NVQ Level 2 (Foundation Apprenticeship)
Level 1	BTEC Entry Level, Certificate in Life Skills, Certificate in Skills for a Working Life

For further information on qualifications visit the QCA website or talk to a Connexions Personal Adviser

www.qca.org.uk