IHETC Academy
Four formats, four uses
The right format is the one you take to the end. Choose first by the time you genuinely have each week: everything else follows from it, and is written on the course page.
The format that fits your week
Micro-credential
One module of the base, isolated and assessed. A few hours are enough, on one of the 444 modules recorded. It is the fastest way to answer a need that came up this week.
Short course
5 programmes in the catalogue, 2 to 3 months, self-paced. You install a complete tool and practise it to fluency.
Professional certification
7 programmes, 4 to 6 months, designed to be taken while keeping your job. They cover a whole role and carry verifiable proof.
Professional qualification
72 qualifications in the filed catalogue, each targeting a named trade and publishing its competency blocks. This is the format for entering a trade.
What each format commits to and awards
Commitment reads in hours of work per week, the only measure that lets you block out a slot. The award is the catalogue's own, in the exact terms that will appear on your certificate.
| Format | What it validates | Weekly commitment | What it awards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Micro-credential | One precise, isolated skill | A few hours, in one go | Course attendance certificate |
| Short course | A complete tool, practised | 8 h a week, self-paced | Course attendance certificate |
| Professional certification | A whole role, assessed to a threshold | 12 h a week, alongside a job | Professional certificate |
| Professional qualification | A named trade, block by block | Several hundred supervised hours | Professional qualification |
Choosing in one minute
| Your situation | Recommended format | Real commitment |
|---|---|---|
| A precise need that appeared this week | Micro-credential | A few hours |
| Installing a tool and practising it | Short course | 2 to 3 months, 8 h a week |
| Consolidating the role you hold | Professional certification | 4 to 6 months, 12 h a week |
| Entering a new trade | Professional qualification | Several months, time blocked out |
Questions about formats
Can I move from one format to another?
Yes, and it is the most common route: a micro-credential confirms your interest in a field, a short course installs the tool, a certification covers the role. Each step cleared stays acquired and counts in your portfolio.
Does self-paced suit everybody?
It suits whoever knows how to book their slots ahead. For those who prefer a frame, the professional certification advances on set dates and anchors the work to a calendar stated at enrolment.
Which format weighs most on an application?
The one matching what you are aiming for. A professional qualification describes a whole trade; a certification describes a role held; a micro-credential describes a precise act. A recruiter first reads the fit between what you show and what they are looking for.
Explore in detail
- Micro-credentialOne module, one skill, one assessment. This is the format that answers a need arising within the week, and the least costly way to confirm that a field suits you.
- Short courseA few weeks, self-paced, to master a complete tool rather than an isolated act. This is the format that turns curiosity into daily fluency in your job, and it can be followed without interrupting your work.
- Professional certificationA few months, twelve hours of work a week, an assessment with a stated threshold. This is the format designed to be completed while keeping your job, and the one that weighs most on an application.