This article describes the following pathways for young people aged 16 to 18/19:

• the vocational qualifications / programmes available under the ‘Entitlement Framework’
• apprenticeships, including plans to reform the current system and introduce new traineeships for young people aged 16 to 24.

The ‘Training for Success’ training programme, which is intended to help young people aged 16 to 17 gain recognised skills and qualifications to progress in their career, is described in the article on ‘Main Types of Provision’ in the chapter on ‘Adult Education and Training’.

Curriculum, subjects, number of hours 

There is no statutory national curriculum for this phase of education, which is not compulsory.

Study programmes in this phase are a matter of student choice. They can contain only general (academic) qualifications, a mix of general and vocational qualifications, or only vocational qualifications.

Although there is no statutory curriculum, young people aged 16 to 18/19 following full-time study programmes in schools or further education (FE) colleges must have access to a minimum number of courses of study. This is under the Entitlement Framework and the minimum number of courses is set at 21. A third of courses must be general (academic) and a third applied / vocational (i.e. employment-related). The final third of courses is left to the discretion of the school or college.

The Entitlement Framework aims to meet the needs of young people and the economy by offering them access to a broad and balanced range of courses, regardless of where they live and which school or college they attend. It became statutory from September 2013 under The Education (Northern Ireland) Order 2006.

Vocational courses / qualifications 

All vocational qualifications offered to young people aged 16 to 18/19 in Northern Ireland must be approved by the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA), the independent regulator of general and vocational qualifications. Approved qualifications are listed in the Register of Regulated Qualifications.

A wide range of vocational qualifications is available in post-compulsory education in schools and further education (FE) colleges. They include BTECs offered by the awarding organisation Pearson; Cambridge Nationals and Cambridge Technicals offered by the OCR awarding organisation; and City and Guilds qualifications. These qualifications can be taken by 16- to 18/19-year-old students alongside other, general qualifications such as A Levels (or GCSEs).

Vocational qualifications for young people between the ages of 16 and 18/19 usually range from Entry Level 1 to Level 3 on the Regulated Qualifications Framework. They provide young people with knowledge, understanding and skills in a broad vocational area and, in some cases, with the relevant job skills to work in a particular sector or role. They are designed to accommodate the needs of employers and allow progression to further and higher education.

For further information on vocational qualifications in post-compulsory education, see the subheading ‘Certification’ in the article on ‘Assessment in Vocational Upper Secondary Education’.

Note: The CCEA is now the single independent regulator for all qualifications in Northern Ireland. This follows legislative amendments to the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009, which came into effect in May 2016. Before then, Northern Ireland had two qualifications regulators: CCEA for general qualifications and Ofqual, the qualifications regulator in England, which regulated vocational qualifications for Northern Ireland as well as for England.

Apprenticeships 

Apprenticeships are work-based training programmes designed around the needs of employers. They are provided by employers, who work with approved training providers who manage the apprentice’s training and assessment programme.

Apprenticeships are open to all aged 16 and over and not in full-time education and usually last at least two years. Different entry requirements apply depending on the sector and the level of the apprenticeship, and all include on-the-job training and study towards a nationally recognised qualification. Three levels are available:

• Level 2 apprenticeships
• Level 3 apprenticeships
• Higher Level apprenticeships available from Level 4 to Level 6 (these  are intended for post-18/19 students). 

The apprenticeship frameworks at Level 2 and Level 3 specify the standards and criteria for a particular apprenticeship and usually include: 

• one or more vocational qualifications (covering competence- and knowledge-based components)
• Essential Skills qualifications in communication, application of number and / or ICT as appropriate.

For further information on the vocational and Essential Skills qualifications that make up an apprenticeship programme, see the subheading ‘Certification’ in the article on ‘Assessment in Vocational Upper Secondary Education’.

Higher Level apprenticeships usually involve study for a higher level qualification in an occupational area, such as Level 4 Higher National Certificates or Level 5 foundation degrees. As an example, information regarding the Higher Level apprenticeships offered by Northern Regional College is available here.

To support the funding of the apprenticeship programme, the UK Government introduced an apprenticeship levy in April 2017. This is a charge on all large employers of 0.5% of their pay bill and is collected across the whole of the UK.

Reform of apprenticeships 

Following a review of apprenticeships, intended to ensure that they continue to contribute positively to the development of skills and of the economy, the (then) Department for Employment and Learning (DEL) published the Northern Ireland strategy on apprenticeships in June 2014. This determined that future apprenticeships will:

• be for new employees (or for new job roles for existing employees where a substantial amount of learning and skills development is required)
• commence at Level 3 of the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) and be available up to Level 8
• take at least two years to complete to reflect the breadth and depth of learning required
• include a breadth of on- and off-the-job training beyond the specific needs of a given job role, with a view to supporting the mobility of the apprentice across the sector and meeting the needs of the wider economy
• enable progression to higher level education and training by ensuring that progression routes are factored into the design. 

A parallel review of the youth training system identified that young people require a range of opportunities at Level 2 of the RQF. This is to ensure that they have appropriate skills for employment and can access further education and training, including the new Level 3 apprenticeships. The youth training strategy, published in June 2015, sets out plans for a new traineeship programme, which will:

• be available across a wide range of occupations
• provide trainees with a new Level 2 award
• include both a professional and technical qualification equivalent to three high grade GCSEs, and Level 2 qualifications in English and mathematics
• generally be available for young people aged 16-24 who have four GCSEs
• include structured work-based learning as the primary method for developing skills
• normally take two years to complete.

The Department for the Economy’s Draft Business Plan for 2019/20 includes the commitment to produce a traineeship implementation plan by March 2020. It is intended that traineeships will be introduced from September 2020.

Teaching methods and materials 

For apprenticeships, teaching methods and learning materials are decided by the provider. Where programmes are offered in schools and colleges, individual teachers or lecturers / trainers may make decisions in the context of national frameworks or guidance.

Teachers working in a school sixth form for example, are expected to demonstrate 27 Professional Competences (pages 13-15 of Teaching: The Reflective Profession, 2011) organised within three broad areas:

• professional values and practice
• professional knowledge and understanding
• professional skills and application, which is subdivided into planning and leading; teaching and learning; and assessment.

There are also non-statutory Professional Standards (2009) to support teachers working in further education (FE) colleges. They cover the following six domains: 

• professional values and practice
• learning and teaching
• specialist learning and teaching
• planning for learning
• assessment for learning
• access and progression.

There are no guidelines on the use of textbooks or technology, or on homework.

Article last reviewed April 2021.