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Vocational Training / Implementation

Advanced and Foundation Modern Apprenticeships (AMAs and FMAs)

The new revised IT and electronic services Modern Apprenticeship outcomes for the e-skills NTO Development Framework for a career in IT were approved by DfEE on the 22 January 2001 and took effect in England and Wales on the 1st February 2001.

The Framework is in the process of seeking approval from the Modern Apprenticeship Implementation Group Scotland.

Candidates who are currently undertaking an ITNTO or e.business.nto apprenticeship may continue with their programme or if appropriate transfer across to the new revised e-skills NTO IT Development Framework.

With the merger of ITNTO and e-business.nto in July 2000, it was imperative that there was a coming together of the two NTOs’ FMA/AMA frameworks – sector 108, ie IT (ITNTO), and sector 257, ie Electronics & Software Services (e-business.nto). There is now one single IT sector reference number which is 292.

The challenge for e-skills NTO was to carry out a rationalising of the FMA/AMA frameworks as quickly as possible to reduce confusion within the IT sector and to enable the NTO to continue its valuable work with advocating lifelong learning within the IT industry and wider community. A wide consultation took place, throughout the UK, with the IT industry and also included various special interest groups, employer groups and training providers.

Please click on the following links for:

  • an overview of the new IT AMA/FMA outcomes (PDF file) , for each of the following strands:
    • Strand 1: Using IT
    • Strand 2: IT & Electronic Services - Support
    • Strand 3: Developing IT
  • AMA/FMA Development Framework (PDF file) - full copy of the new document.
  • a list of current related knowledge qualifications/certificates (PDF file) that can be used as underpinning knowledge to the AMAs/FMAs.
  • An AMA/FMA certification request form (PDF file)

The new IT Systems Support Technician qualification has recently been developed in collaboration with industry and education. The ITSST qualification underpins the IT Services NVQs/SVQs, in particular the NVQ/SVQ in Customer Systems Support Level 2. It can be used as underpinning knowledge to a Modern Apprenticeship (Strand 2).

The European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL), which can be used as underpinning knowledge to the MA in Using IT (Strand 1), has been mapped to the NVQ/SVQ "Using IT Level 2". Please click here for further information on conformance and exemptions, ECDL and NVQ/SVQ mapping.

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