​OPENING DOORS, BUILDING FUTURES? 
A life histories approach to exploring the impact of BTEC

​The research in this report was motivated by our personal involvement with BTEC from the 1980s onwards, as teachers, managers, franchisers, assessors, selectors and evaluators, in schools, colleges and universities. During this time a succession of national vocational initiatives (e.g. GNVQ, AVCE, 14-19 Diplomas) have come and gone, unable to compete with the dominance of A levels.
In contrast, the BTEC level 3 Diploma has offered 40 years of stability, a popular alternative to A levels leading to employment or university and underpinning successful careers.
The announcement that BTECs were to be defunded was denounced by educators, employers and politicians, but this report was motivated by our desire to bring another voice to the table: adults who could reflect on the lifelong impact of their BTEC qualification on their education, employment and careers.

REAL WORK with REAL EMPLOYERS was key to young people’s success
 
"Our first placement...was a ‘live-in’ for eight weeks...          I was working as a chef in the hotel kitchen and for a 16 year old that was really cool.”
 
“My first placement was in a leather company as a design assistant... The BTEC opens your eyes to what the industry is actually like and what it means to work in it.”

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For those without GCSEs, BTEC levels 1 to 3 offer a second chance that truly 'levels up'

"The BTEC level 1 put me on a route that led to me having a first class degree.  Without BTEC there's no way, no way, that I could have done any of this."

"The level 1 gave me an understanding which meant I could progress through to level 3.  At 16 I had nothing, now I have everything"

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