Qualifications

ECITB’s Engineering qualifications are based on the National Occupational Standards (NOS) of a particular sector of industry. NOS are developed by employers and professional bodies in conjunction with the Standard Setting Body and describe what is meant by occupational competence within a particular job role.

By working with industry, ECITB engineering qualifications are valued by employers because they offer development opportunities to staff across a wide range of engineering construction roles.

Our qualifications enable learners to demonstrate the specific skills, knowledge and behaviours needed to perform a particular role as set out by the National Occupational Standards (NOS).

To complete an ECITB qualification, learners need to prove they can do certain work-related tasks. Learners are assessed by a variety of different assessment methods which offers them flexibility in how they achieve their qualification.

Our qualifications are suitable for learners who already have skills and want to improve them, and also for those who are just starting out in their chosen career, for example Apprentices.

To complete an ECITB qualification, learners must enrol with an ECITB Approved Centre. Approved Centres are quality assured by the ECITB Awarding Organisation to ensure the quality and standards of the delivery of our qualifications are maintained.

Take a look at our qualifications below, if you can’t find what you are looking for contact qualifications@ecitb.org.uk

Scottish Competence Based Qualifications (CBQs) are accredited by SQA Accreditation and have ‘SCQF’ in their title. Read more on Scottish CBQs

Qualifications regulated by Ofqual (England) and Qualification Wales have ‘RQF’ in their title.

For a full list of ECITB Approved Centres that deliver our qualifications use our find a provider tool.

Engineering qualifications – craft and technical

Industry General

Plating

Pipefitting  

Electrical

Welding

Erecting

Mechanical 

Nuclear

Instrument & Controls

Non Destructive Testing

Rigging

Engineering qualifications – professional

Design and Draughting

Project Control

National Occupational Standards (NOS) specify standards of performance that individuals are expected to achieve in their chosen occupational discipline, and include statements of skills, knowledge and behaviours required for a person to be able to undertake a job role effectively in that field of work.

They are valuable tools as benchmarks for engineering qualifications because they are developed in conjunction with industry employers and other key stakeholders, and are kept up to date and relevant.

Candidates must be registered on the qualification with an ECITB Approved Centre before taking any assessment. The types of assessment will vary depending on the qualification.

Qualifications require a candidate to be observed by an Approved Centre Assessor. This is normally done in a candidate’s ‘live workplace’ environment but a number of qualifications also allow for this in an approved simulated environment.

ECITB online knowledge tests are mandated in a number of qualifications and consist multiple choice questions delivered in an invigilated environment.

Recorded Technical/Professional discussions take place between a candidate and an Assessor to further assess knowledge and to close any gaps in the qualifications.

Assessment may also consist of both timed assignments and/or practical tests delivered in an invigilated environment.

ECITB qualifications are designed to consider fair access to assessment and adhere to equal opportunities legislation. Please refer to our Reasonable Adjustments and Special Considerations Policy.

Read the ECITB Assessment Strategy, which is relevant to all SCQF (Scotland) qualifications.

For all subsequent qualifications developed for the RQF (England and Wales) the assessment methods can be found within the qualification documentation available to Approved Centres.

ECITB’s Level 3 RQF and Level 6 SCQF qualifications hold UCAS tariff points. Historically, A-levels have been the main route into higher education. Increasingly, however, professional entry routes like vocational qualifications are being recognised.

What are UCAS Tariff points?

UCAS Tariff points are a way of measuring and comparing the value of different qualifications and translate qualifications into a numerical value. Many qualifications have a UCAS Tariff value. The number of points depends on the type, size and grade the candidate achieved.

Some universities and colleges use UCAS points to assess whether an individual meets their entry requirements for a particular course. Not all qualifications have a UCAS Tariff value.

The following ECITB qualifications have UCAS Tariff points:

  • ECITB Level 3 Diploma in Engineering Construction Lifting, Positioning and Installing Structures, Plant and Equipment (RQF)
  • ECITB Level 3 Diploma in Engineering Construction Maintenance (RQF)
  • ECITB Level 3 Diploma in Installing Engineering Construction Plant and Systems (RQF)
  • ECITB Level 3 Diploma in Engineering Design and Draughting (RQF)
  • ECITB Level 3 Diploma in Project Controls Practice and Techniques (RQF)
  • ECITB Level 3 Certificate in Nuclear Engineering & Science (RQF)
  • ECITB Level 3 Diploma in Nuclear Engineering & Science (RQF)
  • ECITB Level 3 Diploma in Integrated Nuclear Engineering & Science (RQF)
  • Diploma in Installing Engineering Construction Plant and Systems – Pipefitting at SCQF level 6
  • Diploma in Moving Engineering Construction Loads at SCQF level 6
  • Diploma in Engineering Construction Non Destructive Testing at SCQF level 6 (87-99 credits)
  • Diploma in Engineering Construction Non Destructive Testing at SCQF level 6 (100-116 credits)
  • Diploma in Engineering Construction Design and Draughting at SCQF level 6

Find out more

Read more about UCAS Tariff points on the UCAS website.

The ECITB is unable to answer any questions regarding UCAS Tariff points.  If you have further queries on these, contact UCAS via its website.

No. The ECITB Awarding Organisation only offers qualifications and works with a network of Approved Centres who offer courses leading to the AO’s qualifications.

The Approved Centres will set the course fees in accordance with their own policies.

If you already have the required knowledge and skills and do not need to follow a course, some Approved Centres offer qualification-only options.

If you need training at an ECITB Approved Centre before you are ready to undergo assessment for an ECITB qualification, register with an Approved Centre for both the training and qualification.

Only ECITB Approved Centres can deliver assessment for any ECITB qualification.

The ECITB is regulated by Ofqual, the qualifications regulator in England; Qualifications Wales, the qualifications regulator in Wales; and SQA Accreditation, the qualifications regulator in Scotland.

To be regulated, the ECITB must continually demonstrate high standards for designing, developing, assessing and certificating qualifications.

Qualifications that are regulated by Ofqual, Qualifications Wales or accredited by SQA Accreditation have the logo for these organisations on their certificates as a mark of high quality.

Ofqual has confirmed a series of measures to ensure candidates taking Vocational and Technical Qualifications who need their results to progress to higher or further education, get their results on time.

The measures are part of Ofqual’s ongoing commitment to ensuring that candidates taking vocational and technical qualifications have parity of treatment with those taking A levels or GCSEs. The measures include:

  • A term-time checkpoint for Approved Centres to confirm which candidates need a result (certificating candidates) in August to progress to higher or further education.
  • Awarding Organisations will issue results on or before A level results day. Results will be provided to Approved Centres in advance, in sufficient time for exams officers to check and prepare them for final release to candidates.
  • Ofqual’s VTQ Information Hub will bring together key dates and deadlines from a wider range of awarding organisations, to support Approved Centre staff working in the administration or delivery of these qualifications.

Find out more about the Vocational and Technical Qualification Results Action Plan 

What happens next?

We will undertake mandatory term-time checkpoints before the main GCSE and A Level exam series begins in May. The checkpoints are designed to ensure candidates are registered with ECITB on the correct qualification and receive their results when they need them.

To facilitate these, we will ask Approved Centres to confirm which candidates need a result (certificate) in August to progress to higher or further education. We will contact you in January to identify which candidates need a result.

We will provide you with a list of registered candidates for each ECITB qualification in scope. We will ask you to review the list and liaise with all candidates to establish whether they need their result in August to progress to higher or further education. We will then ask you to edit the list confirming which candidates need their result in August and the Centre Co-ordinator will be required to sign a declaration confirming that all information provided is a true and accurate record.

We will also require Centres to appoint a Senior Designated Contact (SDC) who must be available to deal with issues promptly during and outside the term-time. It is important the SDC details are kept up to date and they should have the authority to access information and progress decisions swiftly for the escalation of any issues.

Which ECITB qualifications are in scope?
The following ECITB qualifications used for progression are in scope:

  • 603/3035/1 ECITB Level 3 Diploma in Engineering Construction Lifting, Positioning and Installing Structures, Plant and Equipment (RQF)
  • 603/3036/3 ECITB Level 3 Diploma in Engineering Construction Maintenance (RQF)
  • 603/3140/9 ECITB Level 3 Diploma in Installing Engineering Construction Plant and Systems (RQF)
  • 603/3409/5 ECITB Level 3 Diploma in Engineering Design and Draughting (RQF)
  • 603/3411/3 ECITB Level 3 Diploma in Project Controls Practice and Techniques (RQF)
  • 603/2550/1 ECITB Level 3 Diploma in Nuclear Engineering & Science (RQF)
  • 603/2551/3 ECITB Level 3 Diploma in Integrated Nuclear Engineering & Science (RQF)

Next steps

Key dates and deadlines

  • 26 January 2024 – we will contact Centres to identify which candidates expect a result on results day
  • 29 February 2024 – the deadline for Centres to confirm which candidates expect a result on results day and confirm Senior Designated person
  • 20 May – 3 June 2024 – we will contact Centres to check on progress and accept late registrations
  • 31 May 2024 – the final date for results (certificate claims) to be submitted to ECITB
  • 17 June 2024 – the final date for submission of portfolios for external quality assurance
  • 18 June – 22 July 2024 – external quality assurance monitoring to take place by ECITB
  • 12 August 2024 – results to be issued (certificated)

To support Centre staff working in the administration or delivery of these qualifications, Ofqual’s VTQ Information Hub will bring together key dates and deadlines from all awarding organisations with qualifications in scope.

Failure to respond to this information request

It is important we make you aware, failure to respond to this information request, or the missing of ECITB’s deadlines for the receipt of information will constitute malpractice or maladministration, ECITB will manage this through our Restrictions and Sanctions Policy.

ECITB are keen to work with you and support you through this mandatory process, our team will be on-hand to help you as you plan and prepare your response.

Find out more
For more information, please email qualifications@ecitb.org.uk

Find an ECITB Approved Centre

Approved Centres are organisations approved by the ECITB to assess its qualifications. The ECITB approves and quality assures all its Centres to ensure they have qualified staff and sufficient resources to undertake effective delivery and assessment of the qualification, and adhere to all ECITB and regulatory requirements.

For a full list of ECITB Approved Centres that deliver qualifications use our find a provider tool.

To deliver our qualifications your centre will need be approved by the ECITB Awarding Organisation.

In the first instance you will need to register an Expression of Interest, submit a Finance and Legal questionnaire, and pass the necessary checks to ensure your organisation or partnership is suitable to be an ECITB Approved Centre.  Download an Expression of Interest Form.

If successful, you will be asked to submit an Application Form. The ECITB Awarding Organisation will undertake a number of checks, which may include a visit to your premises.

You must successfully host an assessment team induction day before you are able to register any candidates on ECITB qualifications.

The ECITB approves and quality assures all its Approved Centres via external monitoring to ensure you have qualified staff and sufficient resources to undertake effective assessment, and adhere to all ECITB and regulatory requirements. Read ECITB Award Organisation Policies and Procedures.

Further information on how to apply to be an Approved Centre can be found in our Approval Procedure for VQ Approved Centre Status.

Please contact qualifications@ecitb.org.uk if you require any additional information or support.

The ECITB Awarding Organisation publishes qualification fees to its Approved Centres. All ECITB fees are charged directly to its Approved Centres.

An ECITB Approved Centre will incorporate these fees in any charges it makes to its customers, and we advise you to discuss these directly with the Approved Centre for services offered.

Please click here for our qualification fees