The National Skills Academy for IT Gold Standard Higher Apprenticeship

Mark Heholt (mark.heholt@e-skills.com)

Challenge 1: IT skills shortage

Over 129,000 new entrants are required each year to fill IT professional job roles in the UK

Software Developers most in demand (35% of unfilled vacancies)

Yet there are unemployed computer graduates (13.1%)

And there is a vast wider pool of potential unused talent: total youth unemployment in UK is 22%

79% 84%

15%

85%

IT Apprentices

Applicants to

IT degrees IT pro workforce

A-level computing

candidates

Challenge 2: gender imbalance

The National Skills Academy for IT Gold Standard Higher Apprenticeship

Entry requirements

2 Advanced GCEs or equivalent educational attainment, including the Level 3 IT Diploma, Welsh or International Baccalaureate or a relevant Level 3 Technical Certificate

An Apprenticeship (Level 3)

Employment within the technology/telecommunications industry for a number of years

Higher Apprenticeships typically take between 2 and 5 years

Higher Apprenticeship overview

The basics of the Higher Apprenticeship Framework are unchanged, but is supplemented here with a new set of Gold Standards.

The National Skills Academy for IT Gold Standard Higher Apprenticeship

Gold Standards:•Business Analyst•Database Analyst•IT Consultant

•Network Manager•Software and Apps Developer•Systems and Ops Management

Induction: Employee Rights and Responsibilities

Personal Learning and Thinking Skills: Personal Skills and Attributes + Business Awareness

Functional Skills: literacy / numeracy

Personal Skills and Attributes (core across all Gold Standards)

Communication:

•Effective interpersonal face to face communication•Ability to convey IT-related information to technical and non-technical audiences•Understand the social impact of the use of IT

Team Working:

•Take responsibility for own role Plan and manage work to meet deadlines•Recognise and respect peoples diversity, individual differences and perspectives•Share information and expertise with others

Problem Solving:

•Use a range of techniques that can be used to help solve problems•Decide how, when and why to use problem solving techniques•Seek advice and support from others with problem solving

Self Development:

•Identify personal development needs•Take responsibility for developing own knowledge•Set and agree personal goals and participate in development activities to meet them

Business Awareness (core across all

Gold Standards)

The Organisation:

•Know the aims and objectives of the organisation•Understand own role and responsibilities•Identify potential improvements to organisational effectiveness

Customer Care:

•Understand the importance of customer service to the organisation•Understand the importance of customer service in the provision of IT service systems and assets•Understand own duties with respect to ensuring a good customer experience•Use appropriate personal style and behaviour in customer interactions

Project Management:

•Understand projects and the principles of project management•Know the activities in the project Life-Cycle•Apply project planning and control within own area of responsibility

Quality:

•Understand the importance of quality both within an organisation and to its brand products and services•Appreciate the importance of quality in the provision of IT service systems and assets to an organisation

Why Gold Standards?

Existing Apprenticeship Frameworks are very flexible:

• Minimal mandatory content with wide range of options

• Employer / trainer can select content which best fits apprentice’s job role.

However:

• Guidance on ‘best-fit’ content and contextualisation would be very helpful

What are Gold Standards?

Based on the IT Professional Standards

– (http://www.itskillsacademy.ac.uk/standards/it-professional-standards/)

Give clear guidance on the choice of optional units best suited to specific job roles / professional areas

Include best practice for delivery

What the Gold Standards contain

List the ITPS to be met and hence:

• the technical knowledge and understanding required

• desirable Personal Skills and Attributes

• desirable Business Awareness

Specify the ‘best fit’ units from the competency qualification with indicative contexts (e.g. SAP ABAP and Netweaver)

Employers supporting the programme