What does the AET cover?

The AET covers the essentials of teaching adults: your role and responsibilities, how to plan and deliver inclusive teaching, and how assessment works. The City & Guilds version (6502-31) requires 12 credits from three mandatory units.

Unit Title Credits Guided learning hours
301 Understanding roles, responsibilities and relationships in education and training 3 12
302 Understanding and using inclusive teaching and learning approaches in education and training 6 24
305 Understanding assessment in education and training 3 12

City & Guilds also offers a variant, the Level 3 Award in Education and Training (with Learning and Development) (6502-32). It keeps unit 301 as mandatory and then draws on optional groups, including the learning and development units 303 (Facilitate learning and development for individuals) and 304 (Facilitate learning and development in groups), each worth 6 credits.

The qualification is deliberately broad. It teaches you how to teach, not what to teach. Your subject expertise comes from your trade or profession.

What are the key facts and numbers?

The AET is a small qualification by design: enough to start teaching, not a full teaching degree.

Detail City & Guilds Level 3 Award in Education and Training
Ofqual qualification number 600/9554/4
City & Guilds number 6502
Level 3
Credits 12
Guided learning hours 48
Total qualification time 120 hours
Age group approved 19+
Entry requirements None formal
Grading Pass / fail
Operational start date 1 September 2013
Status Available to learners

Guided learning hours are taught time. Total qualification time includes your own reading, assignment writing and preparation, so 120 hours is the realistic effort for the whole qualification rather than 48.

What are the entry requirements for the AET?

There are no formal entry requirements for the AET. The City & Guilds handbook states this directly, then adds an important condition: candidates are required to have evidence of Level 3 vocational skills in the area they will teach or train, if they are to progress into teaching in the further education and skills sector.

In practice that means two things:

  • Nobody needs a prior teaching qualification to start the AET. It is the first rung.
  • You do need to be good at your own subject. A Level 3 NVQ in your trade, or equivalent experience and qualifications, is what makes you employable as a tutor once you hold the AET.

The qualification is approved for learners aged 19 and over.

What is the micro-teach?

The micro-teach is a short teaching session you deliver and are observed on, and it is the practical heart of the AET. The City & Guilds handbook states that the qualification is assessed by a combination of assignments and observation of teaching or training, and that simulation of teaching (micro-teaching) is permitted for Unit 2.

That permission matters. It means you can be assessed teaching a small group of your fellow candidates rather than a real class, which is why the AET is accessible to people who are not yet employed as tutors. Micro-teach length varies by centre, so check with your provider before you plan your session. Most centres ask you to submit a lesson plan and supporting materials alongside the delivery itself.

A practical tip: pick a narrow topic you know cold and can genuinely teach in the time, not a broad overview. Assessors are looking at how you plan, engage learners, check understanding and manage the session, rather than at how much content you cover.

Is the AET the same as PTLLS?

The AET is the direct successor to PTLLS, the Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector award. PTLLS was withdrawn when the current qualification took over, and the City & Guilds Level 3 Award in Education and Training has an operational start date of 1 September 2013.

If you hold PTLLS, you hold a legacy qualification. Many employers and awarding organisations still recognise it as evidence of initial teacher training, but some funded contracts and centre approvals ask for current qualifications. Check with the specific employer or awarding organisation before assuming your PTLLS still satisfies their requirement.

Several older names appear in job adverts. Here is how they relate:

Old qualification Current equivalent
PTLLS (Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector) Level 3 Award in Education and Training (AET)
CTLLS (Certificate in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector) Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training (CET)
DTLLS (Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector) Level 5 Diploma in Education and Training (DET)

Do you need the AET to teach?

You do not need the AET by law to deliver private or employer-based training, but most further education colleges, training providers and approved centres require it or an equivalent. There is no single statutory teaching licence for the further education and skills sector in England in the way there is for schoolteachers. The requirement comes from employers, awarding organisations and funding contracts.

Where the AET is usually expected:

  • tutor roles at colleges and independent training providers
  • delivering regulated qualifications at an approved centre
  • apprenticeship and funded adult education delivery
  • many public-sector and local authority training contracts

Where it may not be required, but still helps: in-house company training, toolbox talks and manufacturer product training.

Note that teaching and assessing are different jobs with different qualifications. If your role involves judging whether a learner has met a standard, you need an assessor qualification such as the CAVA as well as, or instead of, the AET.

What can you do after the AET?

The AET is designed as a first step, and there is a clear progression route above it. City & Guilds notes that unit 301 is shared with the Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training, so your first unit carries forward.

  • Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training (CET): a larger qualification for people teaching regularly, including observed teaching practice with real learners.
  • Level 5 Diploma in Education and Training (DET): the full teaching qualification, closest to the old DTLLS, for a substantial teaching role.
  • Assessor and quality assurance qualifications: the CAVA for assessing, and the Level 4 IQA awards for quality-assuring other assessors' decisions.

For tradespeople, a common path is AET first, then an assessor qualification, then internal quality assurance. That sequence turns practical trade experience into a second career in training.

Frequently asked questions

How long does the AET take to complete?

It varies by delivery model. The qualification is 48 guided learning hours and 120 hours total qualification time. Intensive courses compress the taught part into a few days, while part-time and online courses spread it over several weeks. The assignments and micro-teach preparation account for most of the remaining hours.

Can I do the AET online?

Many centres deliver the AET online or in a blended format. The observed teaching session still has to happen, so check how your chosen provider handles it: some run live online micro-teaches, others require attendance in person.

Do I need a job as a teacher to do the AET?

No. Because micro-teaching is permitted for the teaching observation, you can complete the AET without being employed as a tutor. That is a key difference from the higher Level 4 and Level 5 qualifications, which normally require access to real learners.

Does the AET expire?

No. The AET does not expire. Individual employers may expect evidence of recent continuing professional development, and awarding organisations may have their own currency requirements for people delivering their qualifications.

Is the AET recognised across the UK?

The City & Guilds AET is regulated by Ofqual and is available in England, Northern Ireland and internationally. Scotland and Wales have their own qualification frameworks and regulators, so check locally if you intend to teach there.

How Nexis Academy can help

Nexis Academy is a City & Guilds Approved Centre (T91185) in Manchester. Teaching and assessing qualifications are in development as part of our growing portfolio. Contact our team to register your interest.

If you are already qualified as a tutor, assessor or IQA, we are recruiting. See careers at Nexis Academy.

See also the AET micro-teach: what it is and how to prepare, AET vs DET: which teaching qualification do you need?, how to become a trade tutor and tutor, assessor or IQA?.

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