National Certificates / Diplomas are designed to offer vocational related qualifications to suit learners with different needs. Some learners, particularly adult students and those in employment are likely to need smaller qualifications such as the six-unit national award. Other learners, particularly full-time 16-19 years-old students or the more able Metals Industry Advanced Apprenticeship candidates will take a full 18-unit national Diploma in order to study the sector in breadth and depth. There will also be those who are working and training in the industry such as Metals Industry Apprenticeship students for whom the 12-unit certificate can be achieved by day-release or flexible learning concurrent with gaining practical skills and experience.

Opportunities to progress are provided by the higher nationals - HNCs and HNDs - which are level 4 and level 5 qualifications studied in higher education.

Illustration … National Certificate in Manufacturing Engineering

Find out more … for further information, visit the Edexcel website