Qualifications: what you need to work in the UK

Accountancy

Construction sector: bricklayers, carpenters/joiners, electricians, plumbers

Engineering

Health & Care professionals: doctors, nurses, nursing carers, social workers

Hospitality (hotels, restaurants, bar): kitchen assistant, managers, waiters and bar person

Law: lawyers, legal secretary

Mechanics

Transport: bus and coach drivers

CRB check (security check)

Qualifications: what you need to work in the UK
Especially if you want to work in a particular area, you need certificates to prove that you have a specialism in that area.

The most important thing is your level of English. If you have a very basic English, take a course to improve it. If your English is good you have more chances to find the job which is appropriate to your abilities.

The basic qualification you need is the ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) certificate. Employers do not require it, but it is good for you to have it!

There are many places where you can take an English course to get your ESOL certificate: colleges of further education, training centres, schools, voluntary or private organisations. Usually ESOL courses are free, but sometimes you will have to pay.

A lot of jobs in the UK require specific qualifications.

If you have them already because you have studied or done a specific job in your country, you will have to get your qualifications recognised in the UK.
If you do not have any qualification, you can take a course in the UK.

Here you will find a list of qualifications you need, depending on which area you are interested in:

1) Accountancy
2) Construction sector: bricklayers, carpenters/joiners, electricians, plumbers
3) Engineering
4) Health & Care professionals: doctors, nurses, nursing carers, social workers
5) Hospitality (hotels, restaurants, bar): kitchen assistant, managers, waiters and bar person
6) Law: lawyers, legal secretary
7) Mechanics
8) Transport: bus and coach drivers

If you do not find here what you are interested in click here for other categories.

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Accountancy
Some employers prefer people with certificates in English and mathematics. Computer experience is very important, especially with programmes like Microsoft Excel and Access.
You can start as an "account clerk" and then do some training to become an "accountant technician".
You will not need some parts of this training if you already have:
- certificates in Accounting
- work experience in accounting
- an accounting qualification

You can qualify as an accounting technician with the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) or the Association of Certified Chartered Accountants (ACCA).

AAT
You can study for the AAT Accounting Qualification (full-time or part-time) at colleges or training centres, or in the workplace. The AAT Accounting Qualification with the NVQ/SVQ programme has 3 levels:
- NVQ/SVQ Level 2 in Accounting (Foundation)
- NVQ/SVQ Level 3 in Accounting (Intermediate)
- NVQ/SVQ Level 4 in Accounting (Technician)

You can also take the AAT in a place different from your workplace. This is called AAT Diploma and also has 3 levels:
- Certificate (Foundation)
- Advanced Certificate (Intermediate)
- Diploma (Technician)

ACCA
The ACCA Certified Accounting Technician (CAT) Scheme has 3 levels:
- CAT Introductory Level (two exams)
- CAT Intermediate Level (two exams)
- CAT Advanced Level (five exams)

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Construction

CSCS card
To work in the construction sector you need a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card or a similar card. To get the CSCS card, you have to take a test. These are the prices:
- £17.50 for the test
- £25 for the card

You can take the CSCS test in different languages:
- Bulgarian
- German
- Lithuanian
- Polish
- Portuguese
- Punjabi
- Romanian
- Russian
- Welsh
If you need more information click here for CSCS website.

Bricklayers
You do not need a qualification. Some employers prefer people with certificates in Mathematics, Design and Technology, or qualifications in bricklaying, for example the City & Guilds Basic Skills in Construction award: Bricklaying (6211) or the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) Intermediate/Advanced Construction Award (Trowel Occupations - Bricklaying). You can take these courses at colleges of further education.

Carpenters and Joiners
You do not need a qualification. Some employers prefer people with certificates in Maths, Design and Technology, or qualifications in carpentry, for example the City & Guilds Basic Skills in Construction award: Carpentry and Joinery (6214) or the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) Intermediate/Advanced Construction Award (Wood Occupations). You can take these courses at colleges of further education.

Electricians
Most employers will require qualifications and certificates. The most common are the City & Guilds 16th Edition IEE Wiring Regulations (2381) and the JIB grade.

Some employers also require two other certificates: the Electrotechnical NVQ/SVQ (2356) at Level 3 and the City & Guilds 2391 Inspection, Testing and Certification of Installations. You can take these courses at colleges of further education or with private organisations like JIB.

Plumbers
To qualify as a plumber you need:
- City & Guilds (6089) NVQ Level 2 and 3 in Mechanical Engineering Services (MES): Plumbing
- City & Guilds (6129) Technical Certificate Level 2 Basic Plumbing Skills and Level 3 Plumbing Studies.
You can take these courses at colleges of further education, schools or training centres.

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Engineering
To work as an engineer you need one of these qualifications:
- a First degree
- a Foundation degree
- a BTEC HNC/HND or postgraduate qualification in civil engineering

Health professionals

Doctors
To be a doctor you must have a Degree in Medicine recognised by the UK General Medical Council (GMC), and a specialisation (for example, in Surgery).

You need to register with the GMC. There are different types of registration certificates - it depends on the country you come from:
- If you are from one of the countries of the European Economic Area you will have to complete an application form and send the GMC all the documents proving your studies and experience. You will have to pay £290 for registration.
- If you are from outside the European Economic Area, the most common way to be able to work as a doctor is by taking the Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) test.

The PLAB test has 2 parts, a theorical and a practical one. The fees are £145 for the Part 1 and £430 for Part 2.

The GMC also requires an IELTS certificate if you are from outside the European Economic Area.

Nurses
To work as a nurse you must have a Degree or Diploma of Higher Education in Nursing, and a specialisation (for example, a specialisation to work with children, or with adults with disabilities).

You need a good level of English, spoken and written. Some employers require NVQ levels 2 or 3 in Health and Social Care - you can take these courses at any college of further education.

You also will need to register with the Nursery Midwife Council (NMC). The fee is £43 if you are from the European Economic Area, and £76 if you are from outside the EEA.

Click here to see the website.

Some employers also require a Criminal Records Bureau check (CRB check). This is a document you need if you are going to work with children or other vulnerable people (for example, people with disabilities). It shows that you have no prison record for abuse of children or other vulnerable people.
There are 2 types of CRB check: the Enhanced Disclosure costs £36, the Standard Disclosure £31 - in some cases your employer will pay for it.

Care assistants
Usually you do not need a qualification, but it is good that you have some voluntary work experience. Some employers require NVQ levels 2 or 3 in Health and Social Care - you can take these courses at any college of further education.

Some employers also require that you register with the General Social Care Council (GSCC) - you will have to complete and application form and pay £30. Click here to see the website.

In addition, some employers require a Criminal Records Bureau check (CRB check). This is a document you need if you are going to work with children or other vulnerable people (for example, people with disabilities). It shows that you do not have a prison record for abuse of children or other vulnerable people. There are 2 types of CRB check: the Enhanced Disclosure costs £36, the Standard Disclosure £31 - in some cases your employer will pay for it.

Social workers
It is usually required a degree or postgraduate degree in social work. You also need to register with the General Social Care Council (GSCC) - you will have to complete and application form and pay £30. Click here to see the website.

There are many courses to get a social work qualification, including programmes offered by the Open University. These are open to people who already work in the social care field. In some cases, employers pay for the course. You will also have to take a Criminal Records Bureau check (CRB check). This is a document you need if you are going to work with children or other vulnerable people (for example, people with disabilities). It shows that you do not have a prison record for abuse of children or other vulnerable people. There are 2 types of CRB check: the Enhanced Disclosure costs £36, the Standard Disclosure £31 - in some cases your employer will pay for it.

 

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Hospitality (hotels, restaurants, bar)

Kitchen assistant
Usually you do not need a qualification. On the workplace you will get training about hygiene, health and safety, and food preparation techniques. Some employers require certificates in these subjects. You can take courses in local colleges.

Managers
Academic qualifications are not always necessary, but most people entering hotel managing directly have a degree or another qualification. If you do not have a degree you can start working in some other position and "build your way up" to be a manager.

Many degrees are relevant to hotel management, like Hospitality Management, International Hospitality Management, Hotel and Hospitality Management, and Hospitality and Licensed Retail Management.

Waiters and bar person
You do not need a qualification. It is good to have experience in these jobs, and a good level of English.

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Law

Lawyers
To work as a lawyer in the UK you need a degree or a Graduate Diploma in Law. If you are a qualified lawyer you need to get your qualifications recognised in the UK. You will have to apply with the Law Society for having your qualifications recognised. If the Law Society accepts your application, you will have to take a test - the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Test.
If you are from outside the European Union you will also need two years of practice of the UK law within the UK.

If you are from the European Union you will need three years of practice of UK law within the United Kingdom, but you will not need to take the test.
Before applying, you will have to get a standard disclosure from the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB check). This is a document you need if you are going to work with children or other vulnerable people (for example, people with disabilities). It shows that you do not have a prison record for abuse of children or other vulnerable people. There are 2 types of CRB check: the Enhanced Disclosure costs £36, the Standard Disclosure £31.

Legal secretary
You do not need a specific qualification, but usually employers prefer people with degrees or similar qualifications. You need experience in these areas: secretariat, administration, computers.

You can also take courses to get a legal secretarial qualification, such as:
- Level 2 Certificate and Level 3 Diploma for Legal Secretaries, from the Institute of Legal Executives (ILEX) with City and Guilds
- Legal Secretaries Diploma, from the Institute of Legal Secretaries and PAs
- Diploma and Advanced Diploma for Legal Secretaries, from the National Association of Paralegals

Mechanics
It is good to have a qualification like the City & Guilds Certificate/Diploma in Vehicle Maintenance and Repair (4101) or BTEC National Certificate/Diploma in Vehicle Repair and Technology. You can take these courses at colleges of further education and training centres.

Transport
You do not need any particular qualification to become a bus or coach driver. You will need a good level of general education, particularly reading and writing.

You also need a Passenger Carrying Vehicle (PCV) licence. To get it, you must already have a full EU driving licence and be at least 21 (or 18 to drive minibuses and on certain bus routes).

The PCV course normally lasts for 1 to 6 weeks. You have to pass a practical and theoretical driving test and a medical examination. You can obtain details of the PCV test from the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) - click here to see the website.

If you are unemployed and cannot pay the course, you can try and get the PCV licence with the New Deal Scheme (contact your local Jobcentre Plus office for information).

In Plymouth contact:

The Driving Test Centre
The Plymouth LGV
Agaton Fort
Agaton Fort Road
Plymouth
PL5 2QZ

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