Work Skills (Business and Computing) - Level 1

Start Date: 1st September 2026

Length 35 weeks
Study Full-Time
Location Carlisle College

Qualification Gained

Level 1 BTEC Extended Certificate in Work Skills Pathway to Computing

Levels Explained

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More about the course

This qualification puts learning into the context of the world of work, giving you the opportunity to apply your research, skills and knowledge in relevant and realistic work contexts.

You will build your knowledge, understanding and skills needed for career progression or further study, while developing knowledge of professional behaviours in the context of Business and Computing to support future career and course choices.

Entry requirements

There are no formal entry requirements for this course, however your suitability for this course may be discussed at enrolment

Please note that entry requirements and course offer can be subject to change at any time.

What will I achieve?

Upon successful completion of this course you will achieve a Level 1 BTEC Extended Certificate in Work Skills (Business and Computing)

What will I learn?

Developing work-related skills and behaviours
Being entrepreneurial
Working as part of a team
Planning the use of digital products and services in the workplace
Developing job application skills
Using IT to manage information at work

How is the course taught?

Lectures
Group exercises
Practical work
Self-directed study

How am I assessed?

Practical activities
Written assignments
Workbooks
Presentations
Posters
Case studies
Work placement
Scenarios and role play

Work experience opportunities

You will be supported to seek work experience within the industries of business and computing. You may also get the opportunity to work on employer set projects with learners recently working closely with Oak Tree Animal Trust.

English and Maths

If you have not achieved GCSE grade 4 in either English or maths, you will be supported through dedicated lessons to achieve these qualifications.

Where can I progress?

On successful completion of the course, you have the opportunity to progress on to a Level 2 Certificate Esports, Level 2 First Diploma in Creative Technology or Level 2 Business or a Level 3 programme on achieving both maths and English at grade 4.

Course Costs

If you are aged 16-18 when you begin your course you are likely to be eligible for free tuition. Detailed information can be found within the financial support section.

Husamettin Kocaturkmen

Business Tutor

With a First-Class BA (Hons) degree in International Tourism and Business Management, I bring both academic expertise and hands-on industry experience to the classroom. Over the past four years, I have been teaching and inspiring students in various business disciplines, including customer service, finance, marketing, and event management. Before becoming a lecturer, I gained valuable experience in retail and hospitality management in the UK & abroad, which allows me to share real-life industry insights that enrich my students’ learning experience. I am passionate about business and enjoy connecting theory with practice to prepare students for their future careers. I am particularly excited to support the launch of our T Level in Business Management and Administration and look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with our fantastic team to deliver high-quality education. Teaching is not just my profession—it’s my passion, and I truly enjoy helping our students achieve their goals and aspirations.

Peter Cunningham

Business Tutor

I studied Hotel management at Carlisle College after I left Trinity, and moved south to work in the hotel industry for several years before moving to airport passenger catering at London Stansted Airport. I developed my career working in area manager roles for Greene King, Whitbread, Starbucks, and most recently Odeon Cinemas where I was area manager for East Scotland. I made the move to education for a variety of reasons, the main one being my belief that I had so much to offer new students by way of industry knowledge that could help provide context to my lessons. Hilary Clinton said “Don’t confuse having a career with having a life” and this is a belief I subscribe to, and working at this college allows me to achieve the correct work-life balance in a job that gives me more satisfaction and sense of achievement than any other job I have had.

Lindsey Robinson

Business & Marketing Tutor

I am a Business Lecturer at Carlisle College with a strong interest in helping students understand how business theory applies in real‑world and professional contexts. I completed my HND in Business, specialising in Marketing, at Carlisle College many years ago, making my return as a lecturer particularly meaningful. My professional experience has provided me with a broad understanding of business, with a specific focus on customer service, marketing and events across diverse industries, which I use to enrich my teaching with practical examples. I am currently studying for my PGCE at Carlisle College, which I see as an amazing opportunity to further develop my teaching practice while working in a supportive and inspiring environment. This experience allows me to continually reflect on and enhance how I support learners in the classroom. I am passionate about building learners’ confidence, professionalism, and transferable skills, and I find it extremely rewarding to see students grow academically and personally. I am proud to be part of the Business team at Carlisle College and remain committed to delivering engaging, high‑quality learning experiences that help students succeed.

Marc Newrick

HE Computing Tutor

Marc is a lecturer in Computing, with a focus on Software Development and Cyber Security, teaching from Level 2, all the way up to level 6 (Undergraduate Degree level) at Carlisle College. He has worked at the college for 6 years, having previously worked for a Cumbrian website and web application development agency, working his way up from a Junior to Senior Developer over the course of his career. Having been a student himself at the college, studying a Level 3 in Computing, Marc was once in the position of his students, and can pass on his own experiences and knowledge of breaking into the computing industry, as well using his own industry based experience to support and develop best practice, skills and knowledge in his learners. Marc recently completed his Master of Science (MSc) in Cyber Security at The Open University.

Lucy Newrick

Computing and Business Tutor

I began working at Carlisle college during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and since then I have taught across level 1 & 2 courses all the way up to our degree courses in both Computing and Business. Before joining the college, I have worked in a range of different industries including retail, hospitality, marketing, and management. Alongside this, I have also continued my own education and gained qualifications which include a BA (Hons) Performing Arts, and an MSc in Business Management and Finance. Working in education is something I love doing, because it allows me to build connections with learners and see them flourish in a subject they are passionate about.

Olivia Hammond

Level 3 Business Student

My work placement at David Allen has allowed me to gain valuable insights into financial management and taught me how to apply my skills in real-world scenarios. Each week, I am challenged with a new department that encourages me to input my skills and communicate with the people around me to reach out for help to strengthen my knowledge further.

Charlotte Delin

I'm so grateful for my experience at Carlisle College, especially for the new friendships I've made, and many group projects that have helped me grow as a person. My time doing L3 Business has played a key role in shaping who I am today, and given me confidence to continue my progress at Northumbria University!

Esme Fawcett

My name is Esme Fawcett and I joined Carlisle College in September 2023, after completing a year of Sixth Form and decided it wasn't for me anymore. I joined the business level 3 course which after the 2 years is completed, is equivalent to 3 A levels and it was the best decision I have ever made. The particular units I enjoyed in the course were Developing a Marketing Campaign and Digital Marketing since you learnt about what strategies business use to market their products and services and you get to learn the behaviours and psychology behind people's purchases and shopping habits, and how influenced they are from marketing. I also enjoyed the Finance unit since it provided me with the knowledge on mortgages, different types of bank accounts and savings which has helped me out a lot from moving into adult life. Finally, international business is another unit provided in this course, which allowed me to learn about how international businesses operate and how business differs in different markets which I think is essential information in this generation to have. This course has helped me secure a conditional offer for a degree apprenticeship for Barclays Bank PLC in Manchester, has given me the knowledge to prepare me for my role and I couldn't recommend this course enough to anyone, even if you're not particularly interested in business, there is so much more to learn than just how a business is operated!

Fionn Mclaughlin

Student Govenor - IT Student

I enjoyed the course and my experience at Carlisle College. I had access to great facilities and knowledgeable tutors with up-to-date insight and experience in the digital industry. Events ran by the college, like the John Stevenson Skills Fair, were particularly useful as speaking to the numerous companies allowed me to see what jobs were available after I completed my studies. Using the skills I have gained from my course, I'll continue with further studies by attending university to study computer science. You don't have to be massively interested in computers or IT to do this course, if you are, then it would still be a great place for you to study. I chose it because I wanted to learn more about computer science and considered it a strong career path to go into. The course and my experience provided me with strong skills, both soft and practical, which I can now apply to many different jobs.