Current Activities / Standards & Qualifications
Integration of Vendor Certifications and NVQs/SVQs
The e-skills NTO, nto.telecom, QCA (Qualifications & Curriculum Authority) and SQA (Scottish Qualifications Authority), have worked with Microsoft, Cisco and Novel to link their qualifications with NVQs/SVQs, and show how they complement each other.
The IT and IT Services NVQs/SVQs are National/Scottish Vocational Qualifications designed by e-skills NTO in accordance with industry requirements and best practice. They define what employees do in their jobs, based on practical skills demonstrated in the workplace. On the other hand, ITC qualifications such as the ones offered by Microsoft, Cisco and Novell tend to be highly technical and are also well recognised by industry.
The NVQs/SVQs require much of the technical knowledge defined by the vendor qualifications and add to this some of the softer skills (such as communication, problem-solving and management). Furthermore, the way the NVQs/SVQs are examined - in the work place - means they are a true measure of an individual’s competence. As a consequence, a candidate with both qualifications, an NVQ/SVQ and vendor certification, will have acquired a detailed technical knowledge and will have proved that he/she can use it in a real world situation.
Please refer to the "
Prove You Can Do IT
" section to find out how the Microsoft, Cisco and Novell qualifications relate to IT & IT Services NVQs/SVQs.
The e-skills NTO has also recently worked with the Helpdesk Institute and 3 Com to map their qualifications to the IT and IT Services NVQs/SVQs and results will soon be available online under the "Prove You Can Do IT" section. This is now an on-going project and we are planning to map other well-recognised industry qualifications to the IT and IT Services NVQs/SVQs.
Contact
: Chris Morrow on or
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IT Systems Support Technician
– Progression Award Level 2
The ITSS Technician qualification (or Progression Award Customer Systems Support Level 2) has been developed to address the IT Services skill shortage, thanks to a partnership involving colleges and industry representatives, including Compaq Computers and SMEs. The new course and qualification provide the technical knowledge and skills to understand, install, maintain and troubleshoot hardware and software, as well as the soft skills needed to interact efficiently with colleagues and customers.
The ITSS Technician qualification has been specifically designed to underpin the IT Services Customer Systems Support NVQ Level 2. It is ideal for young people keen on starting a career in IT Services, but also meets the needs of adults looking for a change of career and individuals working in an IT Services-related area (eg sales people or helpdesk professionals).
As part of the project, the ITSS Technician CD-ROM has been developed to allow for distance learning and to support course delivery. There are now plans to develop the next level qualification, ITSS Professional. Please visit the
ITSST section
for further information.
Contact
: Terry Killer on or
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Graduate Apprenticeship Pilot Continuation
In 1998, Representative companies in IT Services came together with the NTO, under the sponsorship of the DfEE (Department for Education and Employment), to set the base line of ‘work ready skills’ for Graduates, as a Milestone between Graduate Learner and Graduate IT Professional. In 1999, they produced a Framework for Graduate Apprenticeships in IT Services, which has now been successfully tested in the field. It uses IT national occupational standards (NVQs) and national key skill standards (Communication and Problem Solving) to externally benchmark these ‘work ready skills’.
Now in 2001, the NTO is working with Universities in England and with major companies in the sector to use this Framework. Universities will develop delivery systems to include IT national occupational standards in their work experience and placement programmes on undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. Companies will seek ways to integrate the same standards within their current graduate training programmes and develop ways to allow their existing staff to achieve HE degrees. The aim is to support the production of work ready graduates as IT Professionals as quickly as possible with employers able to rely on consistency of standards through external accreditation of performance, measured against national standards.
We expect to begin taking registrations from companies for the new award - still unnamed - in summer 2001 with the first undergraduates joining the Framework in September 2001.
Contact
: Christine Sanderson on or
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Graduate Apprenticeship for Diplomates
Do you have a number of non-graduates who would be interested and capable of undertaking HE modules? If so, DfEE is sponsoring 10 new pilot apprenticeships to help companies (particularly SMEs) offer higher education to enhance the skills of their existing employees. The employees will study for HE modules and gain related key skills and NVQ units. The HE modules will be by distance work-based learning.
Please contact the NTO if you are interested in being one of the piloting companies or if you would like further information.
Contact
: Anne Cantelo on or
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