Vocational technical courses
Studying a vocational training course offers a hands-on, applied learning approach that prepares you with practical skills and real-world expertise highly sought after by employers in diverse fields. Technical courses allow you to progress into a career or onto further study.
Vocational courses are often referred to by the name of the exam board that awards the qualification – for example, BTEC (which stands for Business and Technology Educational Council, which used to issue the award before Edexcel and Pearson, who currently issue them), City & Guilds or UAL (which stands for University of the Arts London).
Apply for technical courses
Apply from a wide range of technical courses including Construction, Digital Media, Hair and Beauty, Health and Social Care and many more!
Student support
Our Student Services team are here to support, encourage and help you thrive.
What to expect from a vocational training course
Our students choose to study technical courses because they specialise in areas of learning linked with work that they are interested in. You can build your confidence because you are developing practical skills that could help you secure a job in the future. Answers to assignments may be in written form but it is just as likely they will be in other forms too, such as film clips, project proposals, business plans and structured databases.
We are continually developing our vocational training courses in response to the needs and skills required by employers. This ensures that you gain maximum benefit from your work while qualifying and that the qualifications stay relevant. Vocational courses are specifically designed to help you get into the workplace, but they also give you UCAS points to be able to study at university.
Once you’ve completed your technical course, you’ll have many transferable skills, such as independent thinking, problem-solving and business knowledge, enabling you to progress to higher education or the workplace.
We have a wide range of courses including Animal Care, Childcare, Computing and IT, Construction, Engineering, Hair and Beauty, Health and Social Care, Hospitality and Culinary Arts, Music, Performing Arts, Travel and Tourism and many more! Check out our full range of courses available here.
Interested in studying a vocational training course at one of our colleges? Why not come to an Open Day and check out our facilities for yourself, if you already know what you’d like to study, find out more about how to apply.
They are available at a range of levels, depending on your current level of knowledge and experience:
Entry Level
If you don’t have any qualifications, studying for an entry-level vocational qualification is the best place to begin your journey. Once you’ve completed your course, you’ll have practical skills for work and independent living, and a qualification, which can help you progress to the next level.
Level 1
If you are new to a subject and would like to improve your basic knowledge, a Level 1 course is the best place to begin. Once you’ve completed your course, you’ll have skills for work and daily life, work experience, personal development and an introduction to your subject, that will help you progress to a Level 2 course.
Level 2
Many students go straight to a Level 2 course after achieving four GCSEs at grade 3 or higher; for many subjects, you can enter as a beginner at this stage. Once you’ve completed your vocational training, you’ll have many transferable skills such as problem-solving and study skills, enabling you to progress to a Level 3 course or an apprenticeship.
Level 3
A Level 3 qualification is usually studied over 2 years and is the usual route to higher education, offering a vocational equivalent to A Levels. For most subjects, you will need five or more GCSEs at grade 4 or higher, including English Language, or a Level 2 qualification.
An Extended Diploma and a Diploma usually differ based on the curriculum and the knowledge that you learn in the course can be more in-depth on an Extended Diploma. These will also differ based on how many A Levels they are equivalent to.
- A Foundation Diploma is equivalent to 1.5 A Levels
- A Diploma is equivalent to 2 A Levels
- An Extended Diploma is equivalent to 3 A Levels
A Certificate, Award and Foundation Diploma can be less advanced than a Diploma and Extended Diploma and can be the starting point for further study. Certificates can also be for those who want a fast qualification or for those who already have experience in the subject.
If you want to go on to Higher Education/University after studying for your Level 3 qualification, you should consider what type of qualification is best for your future. To get into university, you will need UCAS points (these will differ depending on courses). Below we have put together a table to show you the difference in qualifications based on grades achieved and their UCAS points values. You can calculate your UCAS points based on specific courses using the UCAS calculator. For more information on UCAS points please visit the UCAS website.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
There are many differences between school and college, and you may not have come across ‘application and enrolment’ before you join us. Here we’ve compiled some of the questions we get asked most often – and the answers:
Our website works in the same way as your favourite online shops. Find the course you would like to apply for and click ‘Apply Online’ to add it to your basket.
Once you’ve applied, if you are required to attend an interview, you will be contacted to book a time that suits you.
You can even apply for A Levels and a vocational course at the same time.
Some courses may require you to attend an interview. The interview is not a test with a pass or fail outcome; it’s an opportunity for us to have a friendly chat about the course you have applied to.
We know an interview may sound daunting, so we have put together answers to our frequently asked questions regarding our interview process.
Enrolment is the name of the process that allows you to study us. You will get your ID card, your student login details (for emails, MyDay – our app, which contains all the information you need to study with us) and timetable information.
We usually begin enrolling new students in late August. We will send you a letter with your enrolment date and time once you have accepted your offer.
If we need a reference from your current school or college, we will ask you to bring one in to enrolment.
You can add more courses to your application form – simply find the course you’d rather study, add it to your basket and log in to your applicant account.
Start dates for courses are usually in September; some courses, such as apprenticeships, can be started throughout the year. Once you have been offered a place, we will get in touch with you to advise you of your enrolment dates, which will be in late August or early September.
Once you’ve enrolled, we will give you the exact start dates and times for your chosen course. Most of our courses follow our main term dates.
Classes usually take place between 9am and 5pm on Monday to Friday. However, the exact times will vary depending on your chosen course. Your teacher will be able to advise you of the full timetable during induction.
There will be times when you do not have timetabled classes – most of our full-time courses involve 3-4 days of teaching per week. However, we have extensive learning resources available, which we actively encourage you to make the most of, during private study.
Some courses may require you to attend evening classes or special events. You may also choose to enter national competitions, which can involve preparation time and attendance outside of normal class hours, such as at weekends and in the evenings.
We have courses to suit everyone, no matter what GCSE grades you are leaving school with.
Each of our courses list the specific entry requirements – the higher the level, the higher the entry requirements, starting from Entry Level through to Level 3 and higher.
Don’t worry! Although we may need to reassess your situation, we offer a wide variety of courses at many different levels – come in for your enrolment as planned, and we can discuss the best option for you then.
At our colleges, each of our students is individual and that is reflected in what they choose to wear! We don’t have a uniform, nor do we stop you wearing make-up or styling your hair how you want to. All we ask is that you don’t wear any offensive slogans or statements on your clothing. For some courses there may be required clothing that you will need to wear whilst you are undertaking certain tasks; for example, laboratory coats for science experiments.
All of our students and staff wear ID cards on lanyards around their neck to help us identify each other, and to ensure our buildings are safe places for you to study.
King’s Cross
London
WC1X 8RA
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