BTEC

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The Business & Technician Education Council (BTEC) was a subdegree-conferring council in the United Kingdom until 1996, when its functions were transferred to Edexcel. The council offered further and higher education awards, particularly to polytechnics, and in particular the BTEC Nationals and BTEC Higher Nationals awards which remain prominent. It is not to be confused with BTech.

BTEC qualifications are undertaken in vocational subjects ranging from Business to Animal Care. They have an equivalence to other qualifications such as the GCSE and the A Level but a particular difference is that they tend to be based on practical work or coursework rather than timed examinations.

BTEC was formed in 1984 from the Business Education Council (BEC) and the Technician Education Council (TEC). In 1996, University of London Examinations & Assessment Council (ULEAC) and BTEC merged to form Edexcel.

The Scottish Qualifications Authority is the body responsible for HND and HNC in Scotland, and is the successor to the Scottish Vocational Education Council (SCOTVEC) which had been previously responsible for these qualifications.

[edit] Awards system

BTEC Introductory Certificate - Level 1 qualification, roughly equivalent to 2 GCSEs at D-E grades.
BTEC Introductory Diploma - Level 1 qualification, roughly equivalent to 4 GCSEs at D-E grades or a Foundation GNVQ.
BTEC First Certificate - Level 2 qualification, roughly equivalent to 2 GCSEs at A*-C grades or an Intermediate GNVQ.
BTEC First Diploma - Level 2 qualification, roughly equivalent to 4 GCSEs at A*-C grades or an Intermediate GNVQ.
BTEC National Award - Level 3, equivalent to one A Level.
BTEC National Certificate - Level 3, equivalent to two A Levels.
BTEC National Diploma - Level 3, equivalent to three A Levels.
Ordinary National Certificate - Level 3, equivalent to two A Levels.
Ordinary National Diploma - Level 3 qualification, equivalent to three A Levels.
Higher National Certificate - Level 5 qualification.
Higher National Diploma - Level 5 qualification