AVAILABLE RESOURCES
The following resources are available to support awarding bodies in making their applications.
Register with us to receive information on support sessions
By registering your details with us, we will keep you up to date about our approvals process as well as informing you of any webinars and stakeholder events that are planned in 2023.
If you would like to submit a level 3 or level 2 technical qualification into the approvals process for cycle 1 and have not yet been contacted by a member of IfATE's post-16 team, please email us and a member of the team will be in touch to arrange a one-to-one support session.
Live webinars
Level 2
- IfATE has delivered a live webinar on the approvals process for awarding bodies submitting level 2 technical qualifications on 27 April 2023.
- IfATE has delivered a live webinar on categories of level 2 technical qualifications for Cycle 1 on May 2023.
Level 3
- IfATE has delivered a live webinar on the approvals process for awarding bodies submitting level 3 technical qualifications on 23 January 2023.
Pre-recorded webinars
Level 2
IfATE will publish a series of detailed how-to-guides for awarding bodies in the form of pre-recorded webinars. Webinars currently available to view are:
Webinars to support level 2:
- 'Completing the registration of interest form' (Tutorial video 5m 51s)
- An overview of level 2 technical qualification categories (Tutorial video 4m 18s)
Level 3
IfATE will publish a series of detailed how-to-guides for awarding bodies in the form of pre-recorded webinars. Webinars currently available to view are:
- 'Completing the registration of interest form' (Tutorial video 5m 7s)
- 'Proposal stage and form' (Tutorial video 9m 26s)
- 'Qualification categories' (Tutorial video 5m 6s)
- KSB mapping (tutorial video 8m 7s)
Level 2 and 3
- 'Employer Engagement requirements' (Tutorial video 6m 31s)
Further webinars will be published in the upcoming weeks and will include detailed information on:
- submission documents
- how to submit
All webinars published will remain visible for the duration of cycle 1.
Mapping templates
The following mapping templates have been published to support awarding bodies align their level 3 occupational entry technical qualifications against the knowledge, skill and behaviour statements within the occupational standards in scope for level 3. These mapping templates are a mandatory component for awarding bodies wishing to submit into the cycle 1 approvals process for level 3 occupational entry technical qualifications.
Construction
Mapping template level 3 – Construction
Digital
Mapping template level 3 – Digital
Education and early years
Mapping template level 3 – Education and early years
Engineering and manufacturing
Mapping template level 3 – Engineering and manufacturing
Health and science
Mapping template level 3 – Health and science
Mapping templates for additional specialist qualifications to support awarding bodies build on knowledge, skill and behaviour statements within the occupational standards in scope for level 3 will be published shortly.
If there is an occupational standard to which you wish to align a qualification that isn’t listed here, please email us.
Guidance
Employer involvement in the development of technical qualifications is central to delivering a technical education system which meets the needs of industry. We are committed to making sure that awarding bodies have access to the guidance and insight necessary to support their development of technical qualifications, as set out within IfATE’s level 3 and below consultation.
This guidance is:
- a good practice guide for awarding bodies on using strategic approaches to guide engagement with employers
- a library of data and information sources that can be used to inform employer engagement, aid business planning and help awarding bodies access the insights and information needed to develop fit for purpose technical qualifications.
The guidance contains generic advice on maximising employer engagement, alongside bespoke insights relating to the specific Route areas.
This guidance will support awarding bodies in designing and implementing a process to satisfy the employer demand test. The employer demand test is met when IfATE agrees that there is, or is likely to be, demand for a learner who has achieved the submitted technical qualification. A robust engagement process underpinned by comprehensive desk research can help to generate the evidence needed to provide evidence to show the qualification meets the employer demand test.
Updates to guidance:
IfATE will update this guidance regularly, in line with the cycles of qualification reform. Following the conclusion of the initial reform cycles, IfATE will establish a regular timeline for updates to occur.
As this document is iterative IfATE would welcome feedback from users on how it could be improved. We encourage awarding bodies to contact us directly at if you have any thoughts on improvements you would like to see to the guidance.
Published 10 Jan 2023
Last updated 24 May 2023
(LH/NS)