Cambridge Technicals
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Cambridge Technicals are vocational qualifications, offered by Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Examinations (OCR)[1] in the United Kingdom, and Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) internationally; both are part of Cambridge University Press & Assessment. These qualifications are intended for secondary school students age 16 to 18 who want to study a practical, work-related curriculum.[2] In the UK's Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) a Tech Level 2 qualification is equivalent to a GCSE, and a Level 3 is equivalent to an A Level.[3] The qualifications are designed with the workplace in mind and provide a high quality alternative to A Levels, supporting progression to higher education.[tone]
All Tech Level qualifications must meet criteria set by the UK's Department for Education (DfE) for all 'Applied General' qualifications, including the endorsement of five employers registered at Companies House.[4] Tech Level qualifications must have:
- at least 300 guided learning hours
- mandatory content must make up at least 40%
- 30% external assessment
- one opportunity to resit (retake)
- three grading points or more, such as Distinction/Merit/Pass[4]
Change
In 2014 the UK government announced it would reform all vocational qualifications.[5] By 2021 it was ready to set out its plan for vocational qualifications in England.[6]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, OCR announced a series of adjustments it would make to support learners taking Cambridge Technicals.[7][8]