Hooray for BTECs

Formal qualifications, as opposed to attendance only courses, are growing in popularity. This is not surprising as people strive to evidence base their knowledge and skills. The obvious choice for many people is University, and whilst it is true that there is a wide range of great courses available, these are not the only option. Vocational qualifications, most notably BTECs, are a popular alternative.

Rooted in skill-based learning, BTECs focus on developing real world business skills that have clear, practical applications in the workplace. Furthermore, for those people who have concerns about meeting University entry criteria, it may be useful to know that 95% of universities and colleges in the UK accept BTEC students, including competitive universities from the Russell Group (e.g. Oxford, Cambridge, Durham, York, Warwick etc.) and more than 50% of 20- to 30-year-olds going on to higher education have progressed via studying for a BTEC (Source: Which?). Furthermore, some BTECs, such as the SyI Diploma in Security Management BTEC Level 5, have direct links to University qualifications, i.e. holding the BTEC offers credits towards specific courses at designated universities (see http://www.perpetuitytraining.com/universityofportsmouth.html for an example of how this works between Perpetuity Training and the University of Portsmouth). This offers an excellent stepping stone into Higher Education for those who are interested.

Overall, there is no cut and dried formula for progression through education and learning. Perpetuity Training would always advocate being a lifelong learner, and so suggest engaging in training and education wherever opportunities present themselves. We would recommend, when choosing a course, think about what you want to achieve and focus on that, and this will help you come to the best decision for you.

If you are interested in training options in security and risk management, Perpetuity Training offers a range of classroom based and distance learning course options. Please see our website http://www.perpetuitytraining.com or email us at training@perpetuitytraining.com for more information.