Guidance

Post-16 technical qualifications

Approving post-16 occupational-entry and additional specialist technical qualifications for 16 to 19 and adults.

Applies to England

Documents

Details

This guidance has been transferred from the previous skills body the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) following its closure on 31 May 2025. The guidance is under review and may be subject to change.

How Skills England approves post-16 technical qualifications in the categories of:

  • occupational-entry technical qualifications for 16 to 19 and adults
  • occupational-entry technical qualifications for adults only
  • additional specialist technical qualifications for 16 to 19 and adults

This includes:

  • submission requirements
  • how we apply the tests
  • employer engagement
  • content coverage and mapping
  • assessment

Updates to this page

Published 2 June 2025

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