ICT Professional Skills

Transcription

1 Regulating Mary Cleary Irish Computer Society 1 The Past IT in Education Not seen as a preferred career choice for those entering third level education burst of dot com bubble Government slow to fund IT initiatives Training Skills auditing Reduced number of students attending IT courses predictions of severe skills shortages as well as skills gaps Limited emphasis on technology in school system 2 1

2 The Past Employment in IT Industry No formal recognition of individual s skills gained on-the-job No industry standard for defining job roles/profiles Low staff IT Training budgets Difficult to find and retain quality IT Staff No hard, empirical evidence of skill supply and demand situation Widespread belief that there was a skills shortage Predictions of serious consequences for lack of action 3 The Present Education and Employment The IT industry emerging as an exciting and challenging environment - flexible and dynamic Some success for ChooseIT campaigns Plenty of career opportunities For companies adapting to this, recognition that change is imperative For survival, the employee must keep up to date Influx of skilled migrant workers from Europe and beyond Debate on effect of this 4 2

3 The Present Learning from the past Expert Group on Future Skills Needs ICS Initiatives targeting the schools ChooseIT F1 in Schools ICS Initiatives for the ICT industry Adoption of Skills Framework for the Information Age Skills audit, better management of IT resources SkillsCert SkillsCert Academic SkillsCert Recruitment 5 Skills Framework for the Information Age - SFIA Agreed Framework of IT skills Common language to discuss IT skills and competences UK government standard for IT Skills assessment SkillsCert ICS initiative SFIA to enable individuals and organisations to: Profile Validate Certify Job roles and skills of IT practitioners and professionals, to a consistent, recognised standard 6 3

4 SkillsCert Scope Performs a skills audit for organisation highlights current resources available for the employer Identifies skills gaps which results in an accurate training needs analysis Recognises the skills an IT practitioner currently uses and to what level Places technical skills in a context of responsibility and accountability Provides certification for the individual Rewards best practice for the Employer Creates an employee profile which helps in planning further career development 7 SkillsCert Approaches SkillsCert Academic - accredits training programmes and courses in universities and colleges by mapping key course components to the 78 skills of SFIA accredits potential of graduates SkillsCert Recruitment creates job descriptions using the language and structures of SFIA Simplifies management of skills resources 8 4

5 EUCIP addresses many issues in skills development and regulation Entry-level certification of practical ICT skills Stepping stone, taster Good recruiting ground for traditional informatics courses Prerequisite for EUCIP Professional certification Stand-alone certification National Framework of Qualifications - FETAC 9 The Irish National Framework for Qualifications EUCIP LEVEL

6 The Present - EUCIP FÁS is the Irish national training and employment organisation Programme of funding to up-skill the workforce EUCIP qualifies Competency Development Programme (One Step Up) funding of 75% available to eligible individuals, i.e. those in private sector employment or the self-employed 11 Going forward EUCIP To continue with promotion and retain existing funding To promote EUCIP professional profiles with a view to formulating implementation guidelines SFIA National roll-out of SkillsCert Seek Government endorsement Seek support to carry out an all-island skills audit Investigate synergies with EUCIP Professional Profiles ChooseIT Campaigns Co-operation with and advice to government re school curricula 12 6