BTEC Engineering: Should I Study It?

The BTEC student

Sarah Oluwapelumi Babs-Apata achieved a triple-starred distinction in the engineering BTEC at Christ the King Sixth Form College. She is now studying for a degree in civil engineering with architecture at Leeds University.

The BTEC student

"I’ve always been really interested in problem-solving and have a great appreciation for structures and the creative process. It just sparked an interest in me. My first interest, before I discovered engineering, was architecture.

“A lot of people, especially my family, thought that as I’m a very academic person, I should do A-Levels in the sciences or law, but I always liked the creative side as well as the academic.

“BTECs are really underrated. People don’t know how beneficial the course is. I studied physics, maths and further maths along with engineering. The breadth of the course gave me the foundation of knowledge to really progress in the field of engineering.

“I was initially worried that I would be overlooked by top universities. I thought universities were going to be prejudiced against BTECs, and so at first I was in the anti-BTEC mindset. But this wasn’t the case and now I’m at a Russell Group university."

The BTEC teacher

Paul Ryan is the Head of Engineering at Christ the King Sixth Form College.

BTEC teacher

"BTECs are brilliant for people who are really good at taking command of their own learning. They’re much closer to a degree than A-Levels, in terms of the style of learning. Students get a lot of autonomy. They can do research, for example.

“They’re great for students who wouldn’t be able to reach the first rung of the ladder at A-Level, either because they lack the confidence to embark on an A-Level or because they don’t yet have the skills. The BTEC Extended Diploma, for example, is recognised as equivalent to three A-Levels, so there’s no question about the rigour of the course. Students are offered the full range of grading criteria, Pass through to Distinction, from the word go.

“I find that students mature into this style of learning. The engineering BTEC includes maths, physics and science. There are so many units to choose from, so students can bring their own personality into their learning. You can see them develop and grow as they get better at their studies.

“The thing I like about teaching the BTEC is the freedom they provide for the teacher and students. You have rigour that’s equal to A-Levels but you can deliver each unit in a host of different ways, and you can design your teaching to fit the students. It’s great to see the students progress, to be able to see their progression in terms of the grades they get for each unit. They can’t move backwards, only forwards. That’s good for boosting their self-confidence, too."

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Header image: Photo by Jeswin Thomas on Unsplash