Qualifications that meet the needs of Industry:

UK Case Study

Jim LeviRegional Education ManagerMicrosoft Central & Eastern Europe HQ

21st March 2006St. Petersburg

Foreword – Acronyms & Background

• DfES – Department for Education & Skills (Education Ministry)

• DTI – Department of Trade and Industry• LSC – Learning & Skills Council• QCA – Qualifications & Curriculum Authority• RDA – Regional Development Agency• NQF – National Qualifications Framework• NVQ – National Vocational Qualification• Sector Skills Councils – e.g. e-Skills• Awarding Bodies – e.g. OCR• SME – Small & Medium Enterprise

Context: DfES 5 Year Strategy for Children and Learners

The result will be a nation where:• every child gets the best possible start in life – with integrated services focused on the needs of parents and children,

not chopped up according to provider;• every primary school offers high standards in the basics, but in the context of a broad, rich and enjoyable curriculum;• every secondary school offers excellent teaching, an exciting curriculum, and a positive and attractive environment;• all schools are extended schools; community schools; healthy schools; inclusive schools; and enterprising schools (with

real links to business);• at 14-19, every young person has a pathway to suit them that fits them for work, further learning, and for life as an adult;

and a wide range of activities outside school or college to enjoy and take part in;• every child and young person who is in difficult circumstances gets the extra support they need without stigma;• adult learners can all get and build the skills they need for success in employment – because employers are in the lead

in designing and delivering training, working with highly responsive colleges;• our nation benefits from a thriving university system that gives excellent teaching to all with the potential to benefit;

which provides the nation with world-class research capability; and which works with business to provide the skills the nation most needs and to translate research into innovation effectively.

And where:• the parts of the system are (and are seen as being) interlinked and interdependent – not just because each builds on

the last (with primary schools dependent on effective early years education, secondary schools dependent on primary schools and so on) but in much more creative and dynamic ways – with business involved in designing employability skills education right from 11; with universities designing schemes for students in schools that both help with their outreach and give new experiences to children; with schools and colleges working together to offer routes from 14; with adult learning and childcare delivered together; with children’s services and education seen as part of one whole;

• the learner is a partner in learning, not a passive recipient – and this means that (especially as they grow older, leaving compulsory education) they have a stake in and a responsibility for their own learning;

• adult learners, employers and the wider community contribute to the education system and to children’s services so that they can get more out of them, and can shape them to meet their needs and the needs of the nation.

Changing nature of work - ICT

Work is increasingly represented electronically

– So skills are essential

Lifetime employment is over

Stable employment at large corporations is

gone

The average career will most likely encompass

two or there “occupations” and a half-dozen or more

employers

Most of us will spend sustained periods of our career in some form of

self employment

Does Business Desktop Skill Development Matter?

• Broad Economic Relevance

• UK Employment:

• 67% regularly use Word Processing software; • 62% use spreadsheets and databases; • and over half use calendar and scheduling software.

• Fluency in business desktop software is crucial to individual and organisational success in a variety of industries and pursuits

• everywhere?

National Skills Strategy

Vendor Qualifications In sectors such as IT;

• the certificates offered by companies to recognise proficiency in using their products are highly valued.

• The best of those certificates should be recognised in the National Qualifications Framework.

• A unit-based approach will offer greater opportunities to incorporate high quality vendor and employer qualifications or units into the national framework

Source: DfES National Skills Strategy White Paper, 9th July 2003,Section 5.37 d. Page 83

Microsoft Academy and Qualifications

Certified staff are more productive and Certified staff are more productive and effectiveeffective

ProductivityProductivityProductivityProductivity

Provides a reliable benchmark for hiring Provides a reliable benchmark for hiring talented stafftalented staff

Efficient Efficient managementmanagement

Ensures technical competency and identifies Ensures technical competency and identifies advanced skills and focus areasadvanced skills and focus areas

Identify skillsIdentify skills

Certification is excepted and recognised by Certification is excepted and recognised by the ICT industry the ICT industry

Increase Increase CredibilityCredibility

Why Certification?

Global networks

Life-readyFree

learning resources

Qualifications

Support for local provider

s

Trained workforc

e

Instantcurriculum

Accreditation

CPD Model

for all

Work-ready

Leading edge

status &

grants innovation

Links to the

community

For EducationalistsFor lecturers…

For students…

For businesses…

Microsoft Offer

Microsoft IT AcademyProgramme

ITProfessionalsIT Users

Students:RemoteIn-centre

Both

Innovative TeachersProgramme

Extending the use of ICT

TeachersNon teaching StaffCommunity ITNe-materialsdevelopment

InstructorLearning Materials

Interactive HardcopyBoth

AssessmentOn-lineMarked

EvidenceElectronicHardcopy

Quality Assurance & AccessQCAAwarding Body linksNational Qualifications FrameworkFunding channels

Management of the learning cycleClass ServerLearning Gateway

StudentsIn School, College orUniversity

Workforce DevelopmentApprenticeshipsITQ

How it all fits together

ACADEMIC

QUALIFICATIONS

VOCATIONALLY RELATED

QUALIFICATIONS

OCCUPATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

Level 4 First degree Level 4 for IT Practitioners

NVQ Level 4

Level 3 AS/A Level

Level 3 Advanced Diploma for IT Users Level 3Advanced Diploma for IT

Practitioners Foundation degree

CREATING PROFICIENCY

NVQ Level 3

Level 2 GCSE Grades A* - C

Level 2 Diploma for IT Users Level 2 Diploma for IT Practitioners

INCREASING PRODUCTIVITY

NVQ Level 2

Level 1 GCSE Grades D - G

Level 1 Certificate for IT Users

CONFIDENCE BUILDING

NVQ Level 1

Microsoft Certifications

MCSE

Office ExpertMCP

MCDST

Office Specialist

IC3Digital Literacy

Microsoft Qualifications National Qualifications Framework

Opportunities for Students

Today’s digital students think of information and communications technology (ICT) as something akin to oxygen:

They expect it, it’s what they breathe, and it’s how they live;

They use ICT to meet, play, date, and learn;

It’s an integral part of their social life;

It’s how they acknowledge each other and form their personal identities

Its also what industry wants!

What it means to the students

• Opportunity to gain valuable skills and certification while they are educated (curriculum development)

• “Work ready” at the end of Education

• Time and money saving to them

• Motivation is higher

• User / Technician / Professional

Opportunities for Workforce Development

Digital Literacy

• 7 Million people are without basic Digital Literacy skills

• Government has agreed ICT is the 4th basic skill

• No age barriers

• Opportunities to offer Digital Literacy (IC3) programmes to employers through the Microsoft IT Academy

• Attracts funding through Section 96 and Section 97 (DfES funding for approved external qualifications for individuals under 19 and over 19 years old)

Desktop Applications – ICT User Level 2 & 3

• Government target 2 million by 2010

• Relevant to all industries - including SMEs

• SME market seen as the key economic development area for RDAs and LSCs

• Year on year Government under-spend on skills development for SMEs

• IT Academy offers anywhere, anytime, flexible learning.

ICT Support & Practitioners – Level 2-4 & beyond

• Demand for helpdesk and desktop support in schools, colleges and SMEs

• Microsoft IT Academy finding demand for;-

• MCDST (L2) – Helpdesk

• MCSA (L3) - In-house IS systems support

• MCSE (L4) - High level support professionals

Strategic National Partnerships

Level Two (100 Points)Level Two (100 Points)

Mandatory Unit (25)

Word Processing Software (20)

Spreadsheet Software (20)

Presentation Software (20)

Database Software (20)

Email (15)

Microsoft Word Core

Microsoft Excel Core

Microsoft PowerPoint Core

Microsoft Access Core

Microsoft Outlook Core

Op

port

un

ity f

or

120 p

oin

tsMicrosoft supporting ITQ

e-Quals and Microsoft

• We've worked closely with Microsoft to incorporate their equivalent units into e-Quals. • This will give your learners the chance to add both e-Quals and a Microsoft qualifications to

their CV.

• To take advantage of this arrangement you must be:

A City & Guilds centre approved to offer the relevant e-Quals assessments

A Microsoft Academy How does the partnership work?

• At level 1 we have incorporated the IC3 units into the Certificate for IT users.

• Which means that if your learners pass the IC3 test, City & Guilds will accept that as proof of their skills in that area. They won't have to do the equivalent e-Quals assessment.

• At levels 2 and 3 we have embedded the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) tests into e-Quals.

Level 1 - Certificate for IT Users

For the award of a full certificate, candidates must successfully complete the assessments for one core unit plus two optional units. Candidates will also receive a certificate for each individual unit achieved.

Core unit

001 IT principles (Core)

011Computing Fundamentals (Core)

Optional units

002 Word Processing

003 Spreadsheets

004 Databases

005 Using the Internet

006 Presentation Graphics

007 E-Mail

008 Desk Top Publishing

012 Key IT Applications

013 Living Online

Scheme Handbook

Certificate for IT Users - Scheme Handbook

The OCR CLAIT Suite offers qualifications at three levels.

• Level 1 builds confidence• Level 2 increases learner productivity• Level 3 creates high levels of proficiency.

Major benefits for Centres include:

• Free Centre-approval means lower running costs • Incorporation of optional IC3 & Microsoft Office Specialist units allows you to

offer more flexibility and choice • Administration reduced as IC3 & Microsoft Office Specialist units are

assessed online • Fast results turnaround due to online marking • Free briefing events offered across the country • Free marketing support once approved

Funding

e-Quals & CLAIT meet all of the criteria required to attract funding

Full Qualifications and discrete Units are NQF ApprovedL1 Certificate for IT Users (IC3)L2 Certificate for IT Users (MOS)Listed on Section 96 & Section 97Appropriate for delivery to Age Groups Pre-16, 16-18, 18+

APPROVAL AND FUNDING

IC3 units have been fully accredited by QCA at level 1,embedded into New CLAIT & e-Quals qualification withinthe National Qualifications Framework and as such areeligible for funding.

What is DiDA?

DiDA is the Diploma in Digital Applications, a suite of three paperless qualifications from Edexcel

• focuses on the practical application of technology.

• designed to stimulate students’ creativity and develop real-world, practical skills...

DiDA qualifications prepare students for the real world of work or further education.  

The suite of DiDA qualifications is designed to:

• develop students’ ability to select and use digital applications appropriately and produce high quality outcomes; 

• promote the use of digital applications for achieving a goal, rather than for their own sake; • enhance creativity and communication; 

• equip students with some of the skills that they will need in the workplace or in further education or training;

• develop project management skills; 

• free students’ work from paper, making it organised, searchable, dynamic and transportable;

• and  encourage students to reflect critically on their own and others’ use of digital applications.

DiDA is a revolutionary new suite of ICT qualifications launched by Edexcel in 2005.

Relevant and focused.DiDA focuses on ICT as a powerful tool for real-life use.

Exciting and motivating.The qualification is paperless. It promotes creative use of applications, and its real-life, goal orientated emphasis is involving and stimulating.

Flexible and future-proofed.DiDA’s structure means it can be taught as a discrete subject or in a cross-curricular context

Key Applications

NQF LevelNQF LevelAwardingAwarding Bodies Bodies

CoreCore

CAREERCAREERENABLEMENTENABLEMENT

MasterMaster

ExpertExpert

CAREERCAREERADVANCEMENTADVANCEMENT

SPECIALISATIONSPECIALISATION

SPECIALISATIONSPECIALISATION

How it Fits

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

MicrosoftMicrosoft (Supported(Supported))

Strategic Regional Partnerships

Regional Development Agencies

• Signed MOU - Yorkshire Forward

• NWDA - negotiating MOU• LDA - negotiating MOU

• SEEDA – discussions underway

Microsoft IT AcademyProgramme

ITProfessionalsIT Users

Students:RemoteIn-centre

Both

Innovative TeachersProgramme

Extending the use of ICT

TeachersNon teaching StaffCommunity ITNe-materialsdevelopment

InstructorLearning Materials

Interactive HardcopyBoth

AssessmentOn-lineMarked

EvidenceElectronicHardcopy

Quality Assurance & AccessQCAAwarding Body linksNational Qualifications FrameworkFunding channels

Management of the learning cycleClass ServerLearning Gateway

StudentsIn School, College orUniversity

Workforce DevelopmentApprenticeshipsITQ

How it all fits together - Reprise

Thank you for listeningQuestions?