Qualifications that meet the needs of Industry: UK Case Study Jim Levi Regional Education Manager

1. Qualifications that meet the needs of Industry: • UK Case Study • Jim Levi • Regional Education Manager • Microsoft Central & Eastern Europe HQ • 21st March 2006 • St. Petersburg

2. 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

3. 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 tochildren’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.

4. 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 skills are essential

5. 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?

6. 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

7. 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?

8. Links to the community Instant curriculum Leading edge status & grants Accreditation innovation Microsoft Offer Trained workforce Qualifications Global networks Free learning resources CPD Model for all Life-ready For students… For Educationalists For lecturers… Support for local providers Work-ready For businesses…

9. How it all fits together Quality Assurance & Access QCA Awarding Body links National Qualifications Framework Funding channels Innovative Teachers Programme Extending the use of ICT Teachers Non teaching Staff Community ITN e-materials development Management of the learning cycle Class Server Learning Gateway Instructor Learning Materials Interactive Hardcopy Both Assessment On-line Marked Evidence Electronic Hardcopy Microsoft IT Academy Programme ITProfessionals IT Users Students: Remote In-centre Both Students In School, College or University Workforce Development Apprenticeships ITQ

10. Microsoft Qualifications National Qualifications Framework Microsoft Certifications MCSE Office Expert MCP MCDST Office Specialist IC3 Digital Literacy

11. Opportunities for Students

12. 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!

13. 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

14. Opportunities for Workforce Development

15. 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)

16. 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.

17. 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

18. Strategic National Partnerships

19. Microsoft supporting ITQ Mandatory Unit (25) Word Processing Software (20) Microsoft Word Core Spreadsheet Software (20) Microsoft Excel Core Opportunity for 120 points Presentation Software (20) Microsoft PowerPoint Core Database Software (20) Microsoft Access Core Microsoft Outlook Core Email (15) Level Two (100 Points)

20. 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.

21. Level 1 - Certificate for IT UsersFor 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.

22. 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

24. Funding • e-Quals & CLAIT meet all of the criteria required to attract funding • Full Qualifications and discrete Units are NQF Approved • L1 Certificate for IT Users (IC3) • L2 Certificate for IT Users (MOS) • Listed on Section 96 & Section 97 • Appropriate 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 within • the National Qualifications Framework and as such are • eligible for funding.

25. 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.

26. 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

27. How it Fits NQF Level Microsoft (Supported) Awarding Bodies SPECIALISATION Master Level 3 CAREER ADVANCEMENT Expert Level 2 SPECIALISATION Core CAREER ENABLEMENT Level 1

28. Strategic Regional Partnerships • Regional Development Agencies • Signed MOU - Yorkshire Forward • NWDA - negotiating MOU • LDA - negotiating MOU • SEEDA – discussions underway

29. How it all fits together - Reprise Quality Assurance & Access QCA Awarding Body links National Qualifications Framework Funding channels Innovative Teachers Programme Extending the use of ICT Teachers Non teaching Staff Community ITN e-materials development Management of the learning cycle Class Server Learning Gateway Instructor Learning Materials Interactive Hardcopy Both Assessment On-line Marked Evidence Electronic Hardcopy Microsoft IT Academy Programme ITProfessionals IT Users Students: Remote In-centre Both Students In School, College or University Workforce Development Apprenticeships ITQ

30. Thank you for listening • Questions?