There’s a quiet assumption sitting behind a lot of career decisions. If you didn’t go to university, you’ve missed your chance at a recognised qualification. And if you’re thinking about that choice now, or helping someone who is, it might feel like a degree is the only option worth taking seriously, three years and a lot of debt included.
It isn’t true. And that gap, between what people think is available and what actually is, costs careers.
What the levels mean
Qualifications in the UK are mapped to levels, and the level is the honest comparison point. Level 6 is degree equivalent. Level 7 is master’s equivalent. That doesn’t make them degrees, but it means the depth of knowledge and the standard you’re assessed against are set at that level.
The IWFM Level 6 Diploma is degree equivalent and opens the door to Certified membership of the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management, the CIWFM you see after people’s names on LinkedIn. The ILM Level 7 Senior Leader Diploma is master’s equivalent, awarded by the Institute of Leadership and Management and built for senior managers preparing to move into executive leadership.
So, when someone assumes they’d need a degree to be taken seriously at that level, the level is already available to them. It just doesn’t come with a campus.
You don't stop working to do it
This is the part that changes the maths. You stay in your job, keep your salary, and the work itself becomes the evidence.
The assessments are built around your role rather than around a reading list. On our IWFM qualifications you’re applying what you learn directly to your day job, from health and safety to supplier relationships and financial management. On the ILM Level 7 Senior Leader Diploma, the assessment is written assignments based on real strategic leadership challenges, reflective practice, and work-based evidence of the impact you’ve had, from driving transformation to influencing organisational direction. The time commitment is around four hours a week, and cohorts start every four to eight weeks.
That’s the real difference. Work-based evidence describes something you actually did.
Who pays for it
Non-apprenticeship courses can be paid for by your employer, self-funded, or may be covered by an Advanced Learner Loan if you’re 19 or over and studying at Level 3 or above. The loan doesn’t depend on your household income or employment status, there’s no credit check, and you don’t repay anything until you’re earning more than £25,000 a year. For the ILM Level 7 Senior Leader Diploma, you can pay upfront and save 10%, or spread the cost over monthly instalments.
Apprenticeship training is funded through the employer, either from their apprenticeship levy or through government co-investment for employers who don’t pay one.
What it changes for your career
Learnmore internal data shows that 75% of our learners are promoted or take on greater responsibility after completing their qualification. And 98% say they feel more confident in their role.
Confidence sounds like the soft one of those two until you watch what it does. It’s the person who now speaks up in the meeting instead of thinking it on the drive home, and who puts themselves forward for the project rather than waiting to be asked.
Research from IWFM’s Pay and Prospects survey shows that qualifications increase the chances of advancing within organisations, and that advancement typically comes with benefits such as a higher salary. The sector has well-documented skills gaps, and the people who’ve invested in their development are the ones placed to fill them.
These routes aren't in competition
It’s worth saying plainly, because the argument about university can get heated from both directions. A professional qualification and a degree aren’t rivals. A professional qualification keeps you earning while you build your career, and some universities offer advanced entry to degree programmes for people holding IWFM qualifications, which can mean skipping the first year. So if a degree is something you want later, the route you take now can count towards it.
The question was never whether university is worth it in general. It’s which route fits the life you have.
Where to start
There’s no set starting point. You enter at the level that matches your current experience and responsibilities, and build your career from there.
We’ve been supporting learner since 2011, we deliver nationwide and entirely remotely, and every learner gets a dedicated coach for the whole programme. So, you’re not doing it alone, and geography isn’t the thing that decides it.
If you’re not sure which level matches your experience, that’s exactly the conversation to have with us before committing to anything. Whether you’d rather pick up the phone, drop us an email, or book some time in the diary, we would be happy to help.
Speak to us to discuss your options
*Our articles are accurate at the time of publication, but course details, funding and industry standards can change. They’re here to inform rather than to replace formal advice, so if you’re weighing up a decision, get in touch and we’ll help you find the right path.