How many Vocational courses can you take?

Do you have to do a language at GCSEVocational courses are the one that helps you to gain practical knowledge and working experience in the related field? Although they are very important qualifications if you want to directly get into the workforce. However, the biggest doubt that we have is about how many vocational courses we can take at a time.

Quick Takeaways

• It depends upon the school you are studying in and at which level you are taking them. Mostly you can choose 3 to 4 vocational qualifications at a time. 
• However how many will you take at GCSE will depend upon the school itself. 
• If we talk about sixth-form qualifications, it will depend upon the type of vocational qualification you are taking.

Further, we have discussed in detail how many vocational courses you will be taking at the time.

How many Vocational courses can you take at a time?

Generally, you have the choice to choose three or four options in your secondary school. However, it will depend upon the school you are studying in and at which level you are taking them-

• How many vocational courses you can take at your GCSE will depend upon the school you study at. It is because you may have to take some compulsory subjects or your school may offer a limited number of vocational courses. 
• If we talk about taking vocational courses in post-16 it may vary with the type of vocational qualification that you are taking. If you are taking an apprenticeship, you may not take it more than once. However, if you are taking a BTEC national Cambridge technical then the number of subjects you will take depend upon the 6th form you are studying at. 

To know how many vocational courses you can take compare them with the worth of A-levels. If they are equal to 3 A-levels like T-levels then you will have to only take one single qualification. However, if it is less than that, then you will have to take another vocational course. 

Do universities accept vocational courses?

Yes most of the universities now in the UK, accept vocational courses. As these courses are equal to the UCAS points, they generally convert the grades of vocational courses into UCAS points. It helps the universities to know if you are the perfect choice for the university or not. However, you must remember that some of the renowned universities like Oxford do not consider these qualifications as they are not academically focused. Further, if you have done a vocational course in not so popular profession like data entry, you may not be able to get into the university.

Do vocational courses count as A-levels?

Although the vocational courses are different from the traditional A-levels, there are still some of the qualifications that count as A-levels. When you are taking up vocational courses at level 3, then those qualifications are considered A-levels. It concludes that not all vocational courses are equal to the A-levels. Some of the vocational qualifications that count as A-levels are T-levels, BTECs at level three, etc. 

Can you take an A-level and a vocational course together?

Yes, you can take A-levels along with the vocational courses. If the vocational courses you are taking are not equal to the A-levels, then you can definitely take up an A-level to complete your profile. You can also take A-levels with vocational courses if you are not sure in which sector you want to make your career. 

What are the benefits of vocational courses?

The following are the benefits of taking up vocational courses-

• You will get the necessary skills and direct exposure that are directly used for getting into the industry.
• Many vocational courses only need to have high school completion and also the basic knowledge of two subjects that are maths and English.
• As you are getting the education along with the job it will help you to save time and effort of you.
• You can take these courses online. Thus its flexibility will help you to complete the time whenever you are free.
• The cost of taking up these courses is much less than the tuition fee you pay for Universities.

What are the drawbacks of vocational courses?

The following are the drawbacks of taking up vocational courses-

• As vocational courses are more focused on the career, many universities do not consider this qualification while taking admission. 
• Though it may be cheaper than the university tuition fee, you may have to pay lots of add-on costs for tools or other things that you need during your practicals.
• Taking up vocational courses will restrict you from exploring different types of subjects. Thus you must take it if you are sure that you want to make your career in the specific field.

Conclusion

Vocational courses are the ones that are created to impart practical knowledge to students. They help you to gain the required experience that is necessary for getting into the industry. In general, you may take 3-4 vocational courses at a single time. However, if you are taking it instead of GCSEs it may vary with the school you are studying in. On the other hand, if you are taking it in the sixth form college, it will depend upon the type of vocational qualification you are taking.