Technical qualification categories: core aim and relationship to occupational standards
Published 2 June 2025
Applies to England
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/technical-qualification-categories/technical-qualification-categories-core-aim-and-relationship-to-occupational-standards
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.
Level 2 occupational entry technical qualifications - 16 to 19 and adults
This qualification aligns to an occupational standard or standards.
It allows entry to the aligned occupation, although learners may need more learning or training in work to reach ‘full’ occupational competence.
We apply the alternative approval test and employer demand test.
Category in scope from November 2023.
Level 3 occupational entry technical qualifications - 16 to 19 and adults
This qualification aligns to an occupational standard or standards which is not covered by T Levels.
It allows entry to the aligned occupation, although learners may need more learning or training in work to reach ‘full’ occupational competence.
We apply the alternative approval test and employer demand test.
Category in scope from July 2023.
Level 3 occupational entry technical qualifications - adults only
This qualification aligns to an occupational standard or standards which may be covered by a T Level.
It allows entry to the aligned occupation, although learners may need more learning or training in work to reach ‘full’ occupational competence.
We apply the alternative approval test and employer demand test.
Category in scope from July 2023.
Find examples of approved level 2 and level 3 technical qualifications for all the occupational entry categories on Skills England’s list of approved qualifications.
Level 4 and 5 Higher Technical Qualifications
This qualification aligns to an occupational standard or standards.
It allows entry into a chosen profession or progression onto higher education in a related subject.
We apply the alternative approval test and employer demand test.
Category in scope from September 2020.
Find examples of approved Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs) on Skills England’s list of approved qualifications.
Level 3 T Level technical qualifications
This qualification aligns to T Level outline content developed from occupational standards.
It allows entry to the aligned occupation, although learners may need more learning or training in work to reach ‘full’ occupational competence.
We apply A2D3 powers to approve T Levels.
Level 2 additional specialist technical qualifications - 16 to 19 and adults
This qualification builds on an occupational standard or standards.
It aims to develop additional specialist competence. It enables a learner to specialise in a specific job role and build on existing core knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs).
We apply the additional specialist competence test and employer demand test.
Category in scope from November 2023.
Level 3 additional specialist technical qualifications - 16 to 19 and adults
This qualification builds on an occupational standard or standards.
It aims to develop additional specialist competence. It enables a learner to specialise in a specific job role and build on existing core KSBs.
We apply the additional specialist competence test and employer demand test.
Category in scope from July 2023.
Find examples of approved level 2 and level 3 technical qualifications for the additional specialist category on Skills England’s list of approved qualifications.
Level 2 cross-cutting function technical qualifications - 16 to 19 and adults
This qualification covers KSBs from different occupational standards. These allow a learner to perform a function at work. For example, Level 2 emergency first aid, selecting outcomes from a range of occupational standards.
This qualification enables a learner to do a specific job role across different occupations so they can advance or find more variety in their career.
We apply the significant outcomes test and employer demand test.
This category is not yet available.
Level 3 cross-cutting function technical qualifications - 16 to 19 and adults
This qualification covers KSBs from different occupational standards. These allow a learner to perform a function at work. For example, Level 3 management and leadership, selecting outcomes from a range of occupational standards.
This qualification enables a learner to do a specific job role across different occupations so they can advance or find more variety in their career.
We apply the significant outcomes test and employer demand test.
This category is not yet available.
Level 3 occupational progression technical qualifications - 16 to 19 and adults
This qualification covers some of the KSBs in an occupational standard or standards. This is because not all the KSBs in the occupational standards can be fully covered in an education setting.
This qualification enables a learner to develop in an occupation. Employers will see these KSBs as supporting progression into or within the occupation.
We apply the significant outcomes test and employer demand test.
This category is not yet available.
Level 2 employer-proposed technical qualifications - adults only
This qualification does not have a relationship to an occupational standard. We expect these to be rare, and their approval for development is by exception only.
This qualification allows entry to an occupation for which no occupational standards currently exist. Learners may need more learning or training in work to reach ‘full’ occupational competence.
We apply the significant outcomes test and employer demand test.
This category is not yet available.
Level 3 employer-proposed technical qualifications - adults only
This qualification does not have a relationship to an occupational standard. We expect these to be rare, and their approval for development is by exception only.
This qualification allows entry to an occupation for which no occupational standards currently exist. Learners may need more learning or training in work to reach ‘full’ occupational competence.
We apply the significant outcomes test and employer demand test.
This category is not yet available.