Pearson BTEC Higher Nationals are designed to help students secure the knowledge, skills, and behaviours needed to succeed in the workplace. They represent the latest in professional standards and provide opportunities for students to develop behaviours for work, for example by undertaking a group project or responding to a client brief. A student may even achieve exemption from professional or vendor qualifications or student membership of selected professional bodies, to help them on their journey to professional competence. At the same time, the BTEC Higher Nationals are intended to keep doors open for future study should a student wish to progress further in their education after their level 5 study. They do this by allowing space for the development of higher education study skills, such as the ability to research. Clear alignment of the level of demand with the Framework for Higher Education qualification descriptors at level 4 and 5 means that students wishing to progress to level 6 study should feel better prepared.
A BTEC Level 3 qualification
A GCE Advanced Level profile that demonstrates strong performance in a relevant subject or adequate performance in more than one GCE subject.
Other related Level 3 qualifications
A Pass in Intermediate
An Access to Higher Education Diploma awarded by an approved further education institution
Related work experience
An international equivalent of the above.