Ever wondered what an Apprenticeship is or what in the blazes CIPD stands for? We’ve put together a list of qualifications you’ll most likely encounter as a school or college leaver.
Because there are so many different qualifications, they’ve now been split into five levels to help people see how they compare, and how one can lead to another. Remember that within any one level, qualifications can cover all sorts of subjects and take different amounts of time to finish.
The system in Scotland is slightly different, so we’ve listed Scottish equivalents within each level.
Level 1 qualifications
Level 1 qualifications give you basic skills and knowledge that you can apply with guidance.
- GCSEs grades D-G
- BTEC Introductory Diplomas and Certificates
- OCR Nationals
- Key Skills level 1
- NVQs level 1
- Skills for Life
In Scotland
- Standard Grade
- Intermediate 1
- SVQs level 1
Level 2 qualifications
Level 2 qualifications give you good knowledge and understanding of a subject with the ability to apply skills appropriate for many job roles.
Which qualifications are level 2?
- GCSEs grades A*-C
- BTEC First Diplomas and Certificates
- OCR Nationals
- Key Skills level 2
- NVQs level 2
- Skills for Life
In Scotland
- Intermediate 2
- SVQs level 2
Level 3 qualifications
Level 3 qualifications give you a deeper level of knowledge and skills that could help you work on your own or even supervise others in your field. These qualifications could lead to uni, too.
Which qualifications are level 3?
- A-levels
- Advanced Extension Awards
- GCE in applied subjects
- International Baccalaureate
- Key Skills level 3
- NVQs level 3
- BTEC Diplomas, Certificates and Awards
- BTEC Nationals
- OCR Nationals
In Scotland
- Higher
- Advanced Higher
- SVQ level 3
Level 4 qualifications
Level 4 qualifications give you a high level of knowledge in a specialist subject or work area. They’re designed to lead people into management, professions and high-level technical roles.
Which qualifications are level 4?
- BTEC Level 4 Professional Diploma
- BTEC Level 4 Professional Certificate
- BTEC Level 4 Professional Award
- City & Guilds Licentiateship
- NVQs level 4
In Scotland
- Higher National Certificate (HNC)
- Certificate in Higher Education (CertHE)
Level 5 qualifications
Level 5 qualifications give you a vast knowledge of a complex specialist area of work or study, appropriate for high technician and professional levels.
Which qualifications are level 5?
- Higher National Diploma (HND)
- Higher National Certificate (HNC)
- BTEC Level 5 Professional Diploma
- BTEC Level 5 Professional Certificate
- BTEC Level 5 Professional Award
- NVQs level 5
- City and Guilds Full Technological Certificate (FTC)
- Foundation degrees
- Bachelor degrees
- Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE)
In Scotland
- SVQs level 4
- Higher National Diploma (HND)
- DipHE
Other qualifications
Here are some other qualifications you may come across:
- Cadetship - a trainee role
- CeMAP – mortgage qualification
- CIM – marketing qualifications
- CIPD – Human Resource qualifications
- Foundation Degrees – vocational and work-based qualifications
- IAB – finance qualifications
- Microsoft Certification – IT qualifications
