UK Vocational Qualifications

Awarding Bodies and Vocationally Related Qualifications

There are over 100 Awarding Bodies offering QCA-accredited programmes in England. These range greatly in terms of the quantity of programmes provided and the number of students completing the qualifications. The following ABs have been specifically listed as they represent the largest organisations and those that offer their own vocational qualifications in tandem with national awards. The following ABs are covered:

· Edexcel
· OCR Examinations
· City & Guilds
· LCCI Examinations Board
· Welsh Joint Education Committee

The Assessment and Qualifications Authority (AQA), Edexcel and OCR are often referred to as the Unitary Awarding Bodies as they offer GCSE, GCE A level, VCE A level and GNVQ examinations.

Vocationally Related Qualifications (VRQs)

VRQs refer to the variety of different awards that have been accredited by the QCA and that also have a vocational focus. Consequently, VRQ is the title given to qualifications developed independently by individual Awarding Bodies, rather than a specific national award.

QCA have requested that Awarding Bodies standardise the titles of accredited vocational qualifications during the last few years. Consequently many vocational qualifications from English Awarding Bodies use the following titles: -

Edexcel Foundation

Edexcel Foundation was created as a consequence of the merger between the University of London Examinations and Assessment Council (ULEAC) and the Business Technology Education Council (BTEC) in 1996.

Edexcel specialist vocational qualifications cover the BTEC structure of BTEC Firsts, Nationals and Higher Nationals.

For more detailed information of these awards, please consult the Edexcel website at http://www.edexcel.org.uk.

Oxford Cambridge and RSA Examinations (OCR)

The OCR was established when the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES) and RSA Examinations Board joined to become a unitary awarding body. In 1998, OCR also assumed responsibility for qualifications offered by the Midland Examining Board (MEG) and the Oxford and Cambridge Examinations and Assessment Council (OCEAC).

The following types of vocational qualification are provided by OCR:

· Basic Skills
· GNVQs
· NVQs
· VCE A & AS levels
· Vocational GCSEs
· Vocational Qualifications

More information can be obtained at http://www.ocr.org.uk.

City & Guilds

City & Guilds qualifications assess skills that are of practical value in the work place. City & Guilds concentrate on occupational qualifications, covering some vocational qualifications but not academic awards. There are over 400 individual titles now offered by the awarding body.

City & Guilds offer seven different types of qualification as follows:

· NVQs / SVQs
· Modern Apprenticeships
· Key Skills
· City & Guilds 'own brand'
· Progression Awards
· Higher Level Qualifications
· Senior Awards (only awarded at NQF levels 4 and 5 and therefore not covered here)

For further information concerning specific qualifications, please refer to the City & Guilds website at: http://www.city-and-guilds.co.uk.

LCCI Examinations Board

The LCCI Examinations Board provides business-related qualifications, which are generally occupationally specific. LCCIEB awards have been matched to NQF levels and are available from levels 1 to 5. The qualifications issued are generally Certificates or Diplomas, although the Board offers a large number of NVQs.

LCCIEB qualifications fall under nine general categories:

· Business English
· English Language Skills Assessment Tests
· Finance
· General Business
· Information Technology
· International Languages
· Marketing
· Secretarial and Business Administration
· Vocational Access Certificates