The nationally recognised teaching qualification for trainers in private training industries and further education teachers and lecturers.
The Qualification
The Level 3 Award in Education and Training (AET) is the nationally recognised entry-level teaching qualification for anyone delivering training or education in post-16 settings. It gives learners the knowledge and confidence to teach effectively in further education and private training environments.
Upon successful completion, you will be certified to a nationally accredited standard that is recognised by employers, awarding bodies, and professional associations across the UK. The AET directly replaced the former PTLLS (Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector) qualification — if you hold a PTLLS certificate from before 2013, the AET is its modern equivalent.
Why the AET matters: Many employers in private training and further education now require this qualification as a baseline for anyone delivering teaching sessions. It is the foundation upon which all higher-level teaching qualifications are built.
What you will gain
How the Course Works
The AET combines taught classroom days with a practical micro-teach delivery and independent home-study essays — a structured progression from theory to practice.
Days one and two are fully taught classroom sessions covering the underpinning theory of education and training. Delivery includes lectures, guided discussions, group activities, and structured reflection exercises.
Topics covered include: roles and responsibilities of a teacher, inclusive teaching and learning approaches, lesson planning frameworks, and understanding different learner needs. By the end of day two you will have planned your own 15-minute micro-teach lesson, ready to deliver on day three.
On day three, each learner delivers the 15-minute micro-teach lesson they planned during days one and two. Sessions are delivered to peers in a supportive, observed environment.
You will receive structured feedback from your tutor and fellow learners. This practical component demonstrates your ability to plan and deliver an inclusive learning session — a core competency assessed for the award.
After the three classroom days, learners have one month to complete three written essays covering the core units of the qualification. Essay templates and guidance notes are provided, making the written element manageable alongside work commitments.
Essays are submitted to your tutor for marking and feedback. Once all three essays are approved and your micro-teach is assessed, you are put forward for certification.
Curriculum
The AET qualification is structured around three mandatory units. Together they cover the complete foundation of effective, professional teaching practice.
Explores what it means to be a professional educator — including your duty of care, boundary-setting, safeguarding obligations, and how legislation affects teaching practice in post-16 settings. Gives you a clear framework for acting responsibly in any training environment.
Focuses on designing an inclusive teaching session that meets the individual needs of all learners. Covers lesson planning structure, learning objectives, differentiation strategies, and how to create an environment in which every learner can participate and progress.
Introduces the three main types of assessment — initial, formative, and summative — and explains the role each plays across a teaching programme. Covers how ongoing (formative) assessment informs teaching, supports learner progress, and enables timely intervention.
Is This Right For You?
The AET is a broadly applicable qualification. If you are delivering, or planning to deliver, any form of teaching or training to adults, this award gives you the recognised foundation you need.
If you are new to delivering training or education — whether in a workplace, a private training centre, or a further education setting — the AET is the recognised starting qualification. It builds the core skills and formal accreditation you need before taking your first teaching role.
Many skilled practitioners deliver training informally without holding a nationally recognised teaching qualification. If you are already facilitating sessions, the AET certifies your practice to a recognised standard and opens doors to roles that require formal accreditation.
The qualification is specifically designed to cover generic teaching skills applicable to private training organisations — including health and social care training providers, corporate trainers, and vocational educators — as well as post-16 institutes such as colleges and adult education centres.
Experienced healthcare workers who want to transition into a training or education role will find the AET provides the pedagogical framework their clinical expertise alone does not. It is a natural next step for senior practitioners in health and social care looking to deliver training to colleagues.
What Comes Next
The AET is the starting point on a clear, nationally recognised pathway for education and training professionals. Each level builds on the last, leading to a full teaching diploma.
The entry-level teaching qualification. Covers the foundations of roles, responsibilities, lesson planning, and assessment. Three classroom days plus home study essays.
You are hereDevelops teaching skills in greater depth. Suitable for those in part-time or fractional teaching roles. Includes observed teaching practice and more substantial assignments.
The full professional teaching qualification for those in substantive teaching or training roles. Equivalent to the former DTLLS and DET. The benchmark qualification for FE lecturers.
Also consider the Level 3 CAVA (Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement) if you want to assess learners in workplace settings, or the Level 4 Internal Quality Assurance Award if you are moving into a quality assurance or verification role.
Cohorts run throughout the year. Speak to our team to find the next available date and confirm your place.