Professional Development Opportunities for school ICT technicians

1. Professional Development Opportunities for school ICT technicians • Terry Killer, Skills Manager Microsoft Education • v-terryk@microsoft.com

2. Agenda • Professional Development Opportunities for school ICT technicians • Changing nature of work - ICT • National Skills Strategy • Why Certification • Becta Technicians Framework • Microsoft Strategic Partners • Progression

3. Changing nature of work - ICT 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 Work is increasingly represented electronically – So need skills

4. Collaboration Library System Virtual Learning Environment School IS Systems & Class environment Communication Student Records Islands of Information

5. 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

6. Certified staff are more productive and effective Productivity Provides a reliable benchmark for hiring talented staff Efficient management Ensures technical competency and identifies advanced skills and focus areas Certification is excepted and recognised by the ICT industry Identify skills Increase Credibility Why Certification

7. Technical Competencies Framework - Becta • Creating an effective structure to support the use of ICT in schools requires personnel with specific competences relevant to the school environment. • School leaders need to be convinced of the necessity for high quality support and aware of the range of competences required to perform this task. • This framework is concerned with competences specifically related to ICT technical support. It does not deal with the more generic competences relevant to any member of the school workforce. • The framework was co-developed between Becta and e-skills UK, the sector skills council for IT, Telecoms and Contact Centres.

8. Microsoft Qualifications and the National Qualifications Framework Microsoft Certifications MCSE Office Expert MCP MCDST Office Specialist IC3 Digital Literacy

9. Microsoft’s Certification Model INFORMATION WORKER DEVELOPER IT PROFESSIONAL SPECIALISATION Master CAREER ADVANCEMENT Expert SPECIALISATION Core CAREER ENABLEMENT

10. Descriptions of Technician Levels • Technician ATypical title: Teaching AssistantDescription: This person has ICT support as one aspect of a wider support/assistant role. A selection of the competences listed will be relevant, but may need to be developed through appropriate on-the-job training. • Technician BTypical title: ICT TechnicianDescription: An entry-level post or one involving basic • day-to-day support of ICT systems. • This is likely to be a dedicated ICT technician. • Technician CTypical title: Senior ICT TechnicianDescription: A senior post with general responsibility for the effective running of ICT systems. • Technician DTypical title: ICT Systems ManagerDescription: A strategic post with additional specific management responsibility for the development and deployment of ICT systems.

11. Digital Literacy and IC3 Internet & Computer Core Certification • Office Skills: Level 1 • IC3 - Internet and Computing Core certification: • provides employers and academic institutions proof that individuals have essential computing knowledge and skills • professionally validated • standards-based certification programme • 3 Modules • IC3 Computing Fundamentals • IC3 Living on Line • IC3 Key Applications

12. IC3 Units Module A: Computing Fundamentals Module B: Key Applications Module C: Living Online

13. IC3 Certificate

14. The Becta Framework

15. Microsoft Strategic Partners

17. Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician • What is MCDST? • Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician (MCDST) is a qualification and certification that can jump start an IT professional career. • Typical job titles for MCDST include: • ICT Support Technicians • Help Desk Technician, • Customer Support Representative, • PC Support Specialist, • Technical Support Representative. The Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician (MCDST) certification will support your ICT career by ensuring you have the skills to support end users and successfully troubleshoot desktop environments running on the Microsoft Windows operating system.

18. Architect Systems Engineer Architect Support Technician MCSE MCDST System Administrator MCSA IT Professional Career Path Technical Support Network Administration Skills-based Career Opportunities Time