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Institute of Advanced Technological and Commercial Studies

Practical guides

Applying for a professional title

A professional title targets a named occupation and a precise level of responsibility. The application therefore starts from the role you want to hold, not from a discipline. Here is how to choose it, prepare it and file it.

What a professional title targets

A professional title reads through the occupation it names and the level of responsibility it attests. Its structure follows that of the role: skill blocks, each with its study hours, matching the main missions of the occupation. That architecture is what makes it directly readable by an employer in the sector.

  • A named occupation, written on the award itself
  • A level of responsibility, from skilled employee to executive
  • Skill blocks with their study hours
  • A descriptive supplement detailing each validated block

Five steps to file

  1. 01

    Choose the occupation

    Browse the 72 titles by occupation. Each shows its duration, credits and blocks: reading takes a few minutes and often settles the question.

  2. 02

    Confirm the level

    Compare the title's level with the responsibility you hold or target. At the upper levels, work experience is the way in.

  3. 03

    Align your evidence with the blocks

    Take each block and note what you already know how to run. That statement serves the file, the interview and, where relevant, prior-learning validation.

  4. 04

    File the application online

    The 4 documents required are the same as for a long-form programme. The free text adds your experience of the target occupation.

  5. 05

    Set the start date

    Once admission is notified, you pick your session. Access to content opens at enrolment, without waiting for the official start.

How the titles break down

Four levels, counted on the real catalogue. Level reads from the responsibility exercised: that is what lets an applicant place themselves in a single read.

Level 4
20 (28 %)
Level 5
18 (25 %)
Level 6
17 (24 %)
Level 7
17 (24 %)
Total: 72 professional titles

Four levels, four applicant profiles

LevelWhat it coversTitles open
Level 4Skilled employee and operative20
Level 5Senior technician and supervisor18
Level 6Manager and professional17
Level 7Expert and executive17

Questions about titles

How does this differ from a short certification?

A certification sharpens a function in a role you already hold. A professional title targets entry into an occupation: it covers all its blocks, over 6 to 12 months, and names it on the award issued.

Do level 6 or 7 titles require experience?

At the upper levels, work experience is the main prerequisite, because the level is defined by the responsibility exercised. The application details the decisions you carry and their scope; the interview sharpens them.

How many supervised hours does a title represent?

The volume is shown on each title, block by block, and follows the official catalogue rule: 1 credit equals 25 hours of work including 10 supervised hours. The title catalogue totals 49750 supervised hours across 360 blocks.

Can I validate one block at a time?

Yes. Blocks are validated separately and stay acquired. That is what makes the title compatible with a job: you progress block by block, at the pace your role allows, and the full title is awarded once all are validated.

Explore next

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See titles by occupation
Applying for a professional title — Practical guides | IHETC — IHETC