For the record, I'm actually 19, and I'm doing a BTEC. I started off on another BTEC so not exactly the same situation, but I failed my first BTEC(Business & IT L3), then had to do IT L2 for a year to prove I was capable(going to the same college and they didn't trust me after failing 1 course), and now I'm doing another BTEC. (IT L3)
I'm still looking forward to going to uni, and I think it's stupid to compare yourself to others in this situation. What matters isn't the pace with which you achieve your goals, but how well you achieve your goals in the end. You've got a long life ahead of you, so you just need to focus on making your career great in the long-term. One small failure now isn't going to ruin your life in the long-term. You can still jump back ahead later.