Computing

Certificfate for IT Professional Level 4

Entry Requirements: Qualifications from the Levels 3,2 and 1

Course Description:

The OCR Level 4 Certificate for IT Professionals (ICT Systems Support) has been designed to provide accreditation for the full breadth of essential knowledge, understanding and skills that would be needed by a competent employee engaged in the process of managing ICT systems.
The qualification has been designed to develop knowledge, understanding and skills in the full range of functions involved in system support including managing: ICT service provisions; ICT systems installations; ICT systems testing, ICT systems developments, telecom traffic and managing systems including multi-user and networks.

The qualification provides opportunities for learners to study towards system and network management in addition to being able to take units that are vendor specific.

Eight units are offered in partnership with vendors: Unit 8, Building Scalable Cisco Networks; Unit 9, Building Cisco Multilayer Switched Networks; Unit 10, Building Cisco Remote Access Networks, Unit 11, Cisco Internet Troubleshooting Support, and Unit 12, Fundamentals of Network Security, are offered in partnership with Cisco. Unit 13, Project+ is offered in partnership with CompTIA. Unit 14, Planning and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure and Unit 15, Planning, Implementing and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Active Directory Infrastructure, are offered in partnership with Microsoft.
The qualification contains fifteen units. In order to achieve an OCR Level 4 Certificate for IT Professionals (ICT Systems Support), candidates are required to achieve four units Πthree mandatory units and one optional unit from the remaining units. However, each unit represents a worthwhile achievement in its own right and certification is also available at unit level. Candidates have the option of achieving either the full qualification or one or more individual units depending upon their own learning needs or employment situation. This qualification meets the requirements of the QCA Common Criteria for qualifications and the QCA Criteria for Vocationally-Related Qualifications.

Duration :2 Years

Fees : £1950

Examination Board : OCR RSA Examination Board

1.2 AIMS

This qualification aims to:
¨ develop understanding of the ICT industry and its environment
¨ develop the skills needed to manage the process of system support from the point of
¨ investigation of customer requirements through to the testing of the completed product
¨ develop the skills needed to manage an ICT system and network
¨ develop practical skills needed to manage systems installation, integration and services
¨ develop skills needed to manage telecom traffic and systems including multi-user and
¨ networks
¨ develop generic, non-technical skills that will support personal effectiveness in the
¨ workplace
¨ encourage progression by assisting in the development of skills and knowledge which
¨ learners will need to undertake further study

1.3 Target group
The qualification is aimed at those who already possess knowledge and understanding of ICT systems and who wish to extend their knowledge and skills. It is suitable for those who arealready employed in system support roles in the IT industry and who wish to develop further knowledge and skills to support and/or extend their work activities. The qualification will also meet the needs of those who are studying in preparation for roles that will involve managing system support activities.

1.4 Statement of level
This qualification has been designed to assess skills and knowledge at Level 4 of the National Framework of Qualifications. The qualification has been designed to be comparable in demand to NVQs at Level 4.

Possible progression routes include Level 4 NVQs for IT Professionals, and also possible progression routes into IT related Foundation degrees or first degrees.

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PRACTICAL COMPUTING Levels 1,2 and 3

Entry Requirements:Candidates should have a standard of English equivalent to LCCIEB English for Business, Second Level.

Course Description:

Duration: 1 year per level

Fees : £1950 per year

Examination Board : EDI (LCCIEB)

Aims
The aims of this syllabus are to enable candidates to develop and become proficient in practical ability at an advanced level across the key areas of:
¨ Word Processing
¨ Spreadsheet
¨ Database
¨ Presentation Graphics

Assessment Objectives
The examination will assess the candidate’s ability to:
¨ use competently any or all of the 4 packages (a minimum of 2 applications packages must
¨ be entered) which make up Practical Computing, namely Word Processing, Spreadsheets,
¨ Databases and Presentation Graphics, in a practical manner
¨ apply the practical skills gained using any modern software and hardware
¨ use complex software application functions and high level skills for each individual
¨ package to produce business documents at an advanced standard and in accordance with instructions.

Target Candidates and Candidate Progression

This qualification is designed to be of benefit to those who:
¨ wish to acquire advanced practical IT skills for modern business
¨ are returning to work or business and need to update their IT skills
¨ require to expand their skills to even higher levels for job enhancement or promotion

Success at Third Level allows candidates to continue to higher diplomas, using the knowledge already gained. Successful candidates who also obtain passes in Business Administration Third Level and Business Practice Third Level will qualify for the Third Level Diploma in Business Administration.

Syllabus Topics

Four subject form the main elements of Practical Computing and the syllabus topics for each subject are listed below:

I Word Processing Third Level
1 Use Special Characters
2 Use Mailmerge
3 Design a Form from Notes
4 Use Display Facilities
5 Change Top and/or Bottom Margins
6 Change Paper Orientation
7 Use Vertical Columns

II Spreadsheet Third level
1 Create and Use a Spreadsheet Template
2 Create Graphical Representations of Spreadsheet Data
3 Enter Formulae Using Date Functions
4 Combine and Link Spreadsheets
5 Enter Conditional Statements

III Database Third Level
1 Create Tables from Given Data
2 Link or Join Tables
3 Create Data Entry Screens
4 Create Indexes
5 Create Data Checking Mechanisms
6 Create Report Templates
7 Produce Sample Database
8 Produce Printouts

IV Presentation Graphics Third Level
1 Use Graphics/Drawing Package
2 Create Drawings
3 Import Images
4 Create Slides
5 Combine Slides
6 Enable Transitions
7 Provide Explanation

Coverage of Syllabus Topics in Assignments

For each subject, candidates will be assessed by one set of four assignments and all the primary skills areas identified at this level will be covered in this set of assignments together with any primary skills already covered in syllabus topics for First and Second Levels.