The Business and Technology Education Council

The Business and Technology Education Council is the British body which awards vocational qualifications. Such qualifications are commonly referred to as "BTECs".

BTEC qualifications are undertaken in vocational subjects ranging from Business studies to Engineering and even Animal Care. They are equivalent to other qualifications such as the GCSE (levels 1 to 2), A Level (level 3) and university degrees (levels 4 to 6).

BTEC was formed in 1984 from the Business Education Council (BEC) and the Technician Education Council (TEC).[1] In 1996, University of London Examinations & Assessment Council (ULEAC) and BTEC merged to form Edexcel.

Examples of BTEC courses include Health & Social Care, Business Studies, Engineering, Science, Information Technology, Media Studies, Travel & Tourism and Performing Arts.

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-F grades or a Foundation GNVQ.
BTEC First Certificate - Level 2 qualification, roughly equivalent to 2 GCSEs at A* - C grades
BTEC First Diploma - Level 2 qualification, roughly equivalent to 4 GCSEs at A* - C grades or an Intermediate GNVQ.
BTEC National Award - Level 3 qualification, roughly equivalent to 1 A level.
BTEC National Certificate - Level 3 qualification, roughly equivalent to 2 A levels.
BTEC National Diploma - Level 3 qualification, roughly equivalent to 3 A levels.
BTEC Foundation Diploma in Art and Design
BTEC Higher National Certificate
BTEC Higher National Diploma