BTEC First Award in Public Services (Level 2 Academic & Vocational Pathway)

Applications close: 30 May 2026

How to apply: Please apply via KentChoices

LATE APPLICATIONS: To apply after the closing date, please contact us directly on 01732 778897 or email tv-av@hillview.kent.sch.uk.

You may only select this course if you have chosen the Academic & Vocational Pathway.

The BTEC Public Services course can help you take your first steps towards considering a career in the public service sector. You will learn the essential skills for a wide range of careers supporting the public, from the armed services and police force to roles at local authorities, voluntary services and central government.

It will give you the opportunity to gain a broad knowledge and understanding of, and develop skills in, the Public Services sector, with a view to researching different jobs and roles in further detail. For example, posts in the civil service, health service, armed services and the emergency services.

Course Delivery

This course will enable you to develop a broad and comprehensive understanding of the public service sector through studying different units of work and being exposed to different roles and jobs in the public sector. This will be through an externally assessed unit and coursework to support different students learning styles.

You will have 8 lessons per fortnight with the external unit being delivered in term 1 and 2 to give you a broad understanding of the role and work of public services which will support understanding with application in the coursework units.

You will sit the exam in January with the possibility to re-sit if needed in May. Unit 3 will be delivered alongside this as content in places overlaps and this will enhance understanding for the exam unit. Questions will be used in lessons to apply understanding and get familiar with examination style questions. Mini assessments to support memory recall will be included throughout.

Core Units

Unit 1 - The Role and Work of the Public Services

Unit 2 -Working Skills in the Public Services Sector

Specialist Units

Unit 3 - Employment in the Public Services

Unit 5 - Health, Fitness and Lifestyle for the Public Services

Unit 1 will be externally assessed through an external written examination consisting of a range of short-answer and extended-writing questions (25%)

The other units will be internally assessed and evidenced through coursework (75%)

Learners do not need any other qualifications as pre-requisites to entry.

This qualification provides learners with the knowledge, understanding and skills to progress to:

- Other Level 2 Vocational qualifications

- Level 3 Vocational qualifications such as Nationals, specifically BTEC Level 3 in Public Services

- Related academic qualifications

- Employment, in due course, within junior roles across the public service sector, for example entry level posts in the armed services, other uniformed services or non-uniformed services.