These courses, sometimes also referred to as vocational, applied or work-based, are about giving you skills and knowledge about work. This could be in a general way (eg, a Construction Diploma) or very specific (eg, a Bricklaying NVQ).There is usually a higher amount of practical learning on such courses, unlike more theory-based GCSEs and A Levels, and they are often called 'applied' because the learning applies to an area of work. Many students combine work-related courses with other courses so they have a mixture of theory and practical.

This often depends on how focused you are on a particular job or area of work, and also what type of learning you want to continue with after 16. For example, to keep all their science options as broad as possible a young person may choose A Levels including Maths, Physics and Chemistry. To start learning about an occupational area that interests them they may choose the 14-19 Diploma in Engineering (perhaps combining with an A Level). Whilst if f they know they want to be an Electrician they may go straight onto an Apprenticeship and work towards an NVQ.

The two things do not necessarily go together as there are so many other factors to consider when looking for a job - your skills and personal qualities, the state of the labour market and the level of competition for the job you want to name just three. It also depends on whether you have a plan already about what you want to do, something many young people don't have as they experimenting with different ideas. Though it may seem vague, the best answer is still to choose those courses that really interest and motivate you. All other things being equal you should then be in the best position to land the job you want.

Check out what is involved in the courses that interest you and this should give you the answer. As the name implies, work-related means you are learning about different areas of work such as Sport and Leisure, Business Administration and Retail. These are very different from general subjects such as History, Maths and French. If a type of work appeals to you, and perhaps fits into your plans for the future, opt for a work-related learning route such as the 14-19 Diploma or a BTEC course. If you want to keep all options open stick with general qualifications.

Because work-related courses give you skills and knowledge needed for work most employers value them highly. Many such courses involve work experience placements which give you an insight into what it's like working in that sector, for example on a Society, Health and Development Level 2 Diploma you may have 10 days per year at a local residential home for older people. Employers know that may be able to offer more than other students who have followed a general learning route because you can give what they need.

If you are planning to progress to university after the 6th form, college or an Apprenticeship it is important that you do your research about what is accepted and what grades you must achieve. You will need to reach Level 3 in the qualifications table to go into Higher Education (HE) and different courses have different entry requirements. Universities will normally welcome any experience you have had of work through your courses or organised in your own time (especially if you are applying for work-related courses in HE) but they also need to be sure you can cope with the academic demands of study at HE level.

Hopefully through reading different sections on My Steps you will see by now that gaining qualifications before you enter the world of work is vitally important in today's labour market - even more so in a recession. In fact, from 2015 young people will have to stay in learning until the age of 18, not at 16 as it currently stands, which just shows how important learning is. That said, if you manage to find a job after 16 you could talk to your employer about converting the job into an Apprenticeship so you can work towards an NVQ. Ask your Connexions PA how you can do this.

You are not the only one! The number of qualifications available is a minefield and this is one reason why they are all being streamlined into 4 distinct learning route. In the end your choices will be determined largely by what is available in your travel-to-learn area (this is the distance you can reasonably be expeted to travel to attend your courses). If you look at the learning routes section you can find out more about different courses you can take.