Careers & Employability - Key Vocabulary - Key Post 16 Pathways Terms - Key Work-Related Terms

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by Kurz

“Careers & Employability” provides a learner-focused glossary of key employment terms for post-16 pathways. It explains qualification levels and routes after GCSEs, including A-Levels, applied qualifications, apprenticeships, and T-Levels, as well as technical and vocational options and traineeships. It also defines common workplace vocabulary such as apprentice, employee, employer, job types, contracts, labour market information, and workplace concepts like flexitime, overtime, promotion, leave, redundancy, and employment-sector terms.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages7

Reading Time18 min

AccessFree to download

Key Vocabulary

Key Post 16 Pathways Terms

Key Work-Related Terms

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Careers & Employability | | --- | | | | Key Vocabulary | Key Post 16 Pathways Terms After your GCSEs you will continue to study until you are at least 18. Levels are designed to reflect the level of complexity of qualifications and apprenticeships, allowing people to draw comparisons and understand where they sit in relation to other options which are available. There are 8 qualifications plus entry level, with higher levels offering the highest difficulty. A-Levels: An academic qualification, similar in style to GCSEs, that prepares you for further study (Level 3) Applied qualifications: Qualifications that prepare you for further study by combining academic learning with practical skills to give you a broad view of working in a sector (Level 3) Apprenticeships: an official agreement between an employer and an apprentice which sets out the terms agreed between the 2 parties. (Level 2/3 (with possibility to progress through to level 7)) T-Levels: A technical study programme, equivalent to 3 A levels, with an industry placement that makes up 20% of the course. T levels are designed to give you the skills that employers need (Level 3) Technical / Vocational qualifications: Qualifications which teach you how to do tasks specifically related to the industry and role you want to be in (Level 1+) Traineeships: A work focused study programme that prepares you for an apprenticeship or work (Level not applicable) Key Work-Related Terms The following terms are commonly referenced within the working environment. Apprentice: you have a job that includes gaining recognised qualifications and essential skills whilst you are working and earning a wage. Apprenticeship: an official agreement between an employer and an apprentice which sets out the terms agreed between the 2 parties. Artificial intelligence: computer systems able to perform tasks normally requiring human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making and translation between languages. Automation: the use of equipment to perform a task ora job. Boycott: to refuse to buy, use or participate in (something) as a way of protesting. Contractor: a person who agrees to do a certain job for a period for a set fee-contractors are often selfemployed but generally sign a contract to work with one company at a time. Employee: a person who works for another person or for a company for wages or a salary Employment sectors: the areas into which the workforce is divided. e.g. many creative people work in the stem sector. Employer: a person or company that has people who do work for wages or a salary: a person or company that has employees. Flexitime: a system in which employees are required to work a certain number of hours but are allowed to choose their own times for starting and finishing work. Full-time job: working the full number of hours considered normal or standard. normally 35 or more per week. Intern: a student or recent graduate who works for a period of time at a job in order to get experience. Labour market information (lmi): information on the number of people employed or unemployed, unemployment rates, average wages, population, income, occupational projections etc. Lifestyle: someone’s way of living: the things that a person or particular group of people usually do. Maternity leave: the period of time off officially allocated for a person who has given birth. (can also apply to parents of adopted children) Occupation: the work that a person does: a person’s job or profession. Overtime: time spent working at your job that is in addition to your normal working hours. Period of notice: to be given notice-to be told you have x amount of time before your job ends. Profession: a type of job that requires special education, training or skill. Promotion: the act of moving someone to a higher or more important position or rank in an organisation. Part-time job: working or involving fewer h

FAQs

What are A-Levels, applied qualifications, and T-Levels used for?

A-Levels are designed for further study after GCSEs. Applied qualifications combine academic learning with practical skills for a broad view of a work sector. T-Levels are technical programmes equivalent to 3 A levels, including an industry placement worth 20% of the course.

How do apprenticeships work?

An apprenticeship is an official agreement between an employer and an apprentice that sets out the terms agreed by both parties, including the level of progression through study and work-based training.

What do common work-related terms such as employee, employer, contract, and overtime mean?

An employee works for a company or person for wages or a salary, while an employer pays people who do work. A contract sets the job terms between parties, and overtime refers to working additional time beyond normal working hours.

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by Kurz