Bangkok Prep’s reputable BTEC Level 3 programme for Years 12-13 opens a host of possibilities for students with hands-on practical experience.
The Premier League and FIFA Club World Cup Champions have partnered with Pearson for a new Business Technology Education Council (BTEC) International Level 3 qualification in Sport: a qualification your teenager could opt for in Years 12 and 13 along with other A Level subjects – an option offered at Bangkok Prep.
Besides Sports, Bangkok Prep also offers BTECs in Travel & Tourism and Business.
What is a BTEC Qualification
What’s a BTEC, you ask? The career-focused BTEC (Business Technology Education Council) programme qualification offers a direct pathway to a ‘chosen career through practical experience and study’. The A Level, in contrast, is designed for an in-depth academic immersion in a chosen subject. Here, the focus is entirely on academics with assessments often based on a few major examinations.
Sarah Dixon, who leads the BTEC programme at Bangkok Prep, mentioned that studying for a BTEC may naturally suit students who learn in a different way: “some students are very good at sitting exams, but there are also many talented students who enjoy learning by doing practical coursework in the subject area they are really passionate about. A BTEC programme may definitely be the answer for them.”
The Choice: A Levels or BTEC
So, which do you choose? Luckily, this is not an either/or situation. A student can opt for a mix of compatible A Level and BTEC qualifications. What the BTEC option does, in brief, is open a host of new possibilities and career paths, expanding their horizons. Crucially, it also keeps the pathways to higher studies wide open. To get back to Liverpool Football Club and its partnership with Pearson: What does it mean for those aspiring to careers in the global sports industry?
This BTEC Level 3 qualification at Bangkok Prep includes real-life content from Liverpool Football Club, offering multiple pathways and career opportunities: Sport; Sport Fitness Instructing and Personal Training; Sport Coaching and Development; Sport Business and Management; and Sports Facilities Operations and Management. Billy Hogan, Chief Executive Officer of Liverpool Football Club, explains it best: “We are excited about this partnership with Pearson. It will help open up new global career opportunities and develop sports education around the world by helping young people get their foot on the career ladder by creating pathways into the workplace.”
Take the Sport Business and Management pathway, for example. Its multifaceted curriculum prepares students for careers not only in Sports Business Management but also in Sports Journalism. Equipped with skills acquired and knowledge gained, this BTEC Level 3 also keeps the pathways to higher studies wide open.
Rinchen, a current student on the course, told us that ‘sports facilities at Bangkok Prep are world class.’ “We are so fortunate to have high level coaches and fantastic, highly experienced BTEC teachers from the UK.” Bangkok Prep’s on-campus facilities make the BTEC an excellent option. Learners taking a BTEC course are assessed regularly and awarded marks that all add to the final grade. Some subjects, though, have smaller externally marked assessments. There are plenty of opportunities to learn, improve and succeed. It is also important to note that more than 70 countries recognise the Pearson BTEC qualifications offered at Bangkok Prep.
How To Select The Right BTEC
This brings you the question: which BTEC is the most suitable as a pathway to higher studies? Work your way backwards. If your teenager knows the career path he or she wants to take and has earmarked the universities or courses of choice, check the A Levels and BTEC combination required. If that choice has not been made, choose a combination that would open up the field.
The strengths of a BTEC cannot be ignored. It is designed to empower students with enviable cognitive, problem-solving and interpersonal skills. Students also develop intra-personal skills like self management, adaptability, resilience, self-monitoring and development. Plus, they learn to work independently, be methodical, do research, give presentations and be active group members. All skills that universities value immensely.
Frankly, the choice comes down to what motivates your teenager. The right choice could open the portal to a host of possibilities.
