SUCCESS STORIES
A NEW STANDARD FOR IT TECHNICIANS Professional Registration for IT Technicians launched in November 2015 and is a new standard designed to recognise the talents of IT technicians. IT technicians design, build and maintain the IT world around us; yet until now there has been no accreditation or standard that is fit for purpose - BCS Professional Registration for IT Technicians (RITTech) is changing this. Now technicians can get the recognition they deserve for the invaluable work they do.
VALIDATING YOUR COMPETENCE This is an exciting time to become part of RITTech, as an individual or a company, as you ll be raising the awareness of technicians throughout IT and helping to build the importance of professionalism within the IT sector. This showcase brings you just some of the many success stories of those IT technicians who have already seen and experienced the benefits of becoming RITTech registered.
AARON KINCHEN: CYBER SECURITY CONSULTANT As a Cyber Security Consultant for IBM, Aaron deals with some of the world s biggest banks and insurance companies who are looking to protect their data against unwanted attacks. He registered with RITTech at the start of September 2016 and, as well as the recognition that registration brings, he appreciates the extensive network of support he receives from other BCS members that he meets at regular BCS events. Since being nominated for the National Apprentice of the Year award, Aaron has enjoyed greater recognition amongst his peers as well as senior management and, despite only having three years experience, now feels at home mixing with some of the society s more experienced members. Most of all, Aaron enjoys having access to such a wide variety of technology-specific events. He finds these invaluable in helping him to keep up-to-date with latest industry developments and on top of the ever-growing threats within the cyber security space. If you re serious about your career, then RITTech is a great starting point.
OLIVER POPE-MOSTOWICZ: T&T INTEGRATION ARCHITECT (TRANSITION AND TRANSFORMATION) Oliver started at IBM as an apprentice but is now a full-time employee with aspirations to become a senior transformation architect. This requires many years of experience but Oliver is driven to get there as quickly as possible and believes that RITTech helps him stand out from the crowd. RITTech gives him a competitive advantage as it provides an independent endorsement of his capabilities. He knows he has the support and backing of his employers, but it is another string to his bow, and both his fellow employees and clients are impressed by his achievement and drive in attaining RITTech as a recognised standard. There is an intimidating skills gap between new recruits and their senior colleagues. RITTech and its support network of people and events help to bridge this gap and inspires confidence in Oliver from those around him. RITTech helps me command the same level of trust as my senior colleagues.
NICOLE COVEY: Z SERIES SOFTWARE SUPPORT SPECIALIST Nicole joined IBM as an apprentice and is now a full-time employee. She saw the benefits that RITTech could bring to her career from the start and, along with 10 other IBM apprentices, was keen to be involved with the RITTech pilot programme. She and the other participants provided valuable feedback to BCS to ensure that RITTech was shaped to bring maximum value and she is now proud to be one of the very first registrants. She enjoys the feeling of recognition and believes that registration has given her a greater feeling of self-belief and confidence. Nicole is delighted that IBM were so supportive of RITTech and feels that it is important for employers to support it fully. She also enjoys the fact that the RITTech post-nominals impress her clients and the professionalism it demonstrates, giving them confidence in her capabilities which in turn has been beneficial in building crucial business relationships. RITTech has developed my career and me as a person. It is just so worth it.
KRISTEL WOODWARD: BUSINESS SUPPORT MANAGER In the course of her role, Kristel takes responsibility for ensuring the application of agreed governance procedures - particularly around IT budgets, procurement, projects and other business administration/support areas within the IT department. Her role is very broad, changing daily, and as part of the management team, her focus is now how to make the support function better and stronger. Not having a traditional IT background, Kristel was a little apprehensive about the application process for RITTech, but was delighted to discover how much it reflected her day-to-day experience, and firmly believes that RITTech demonstrates her skills and knowledge in an IT environment at a confident and professional level. She loves that RITTech shows her passion for the role and sets her apart from those who have not shown the same enthusiasm for achieving a professional standard. With RITTech, you are flying the flag when it comes to your skills.
RICHARD THOMPSON: IT OPERATIONS ENGINEER Richard is starting his 4th year at the Royal College of Nursing, having initially joined as a contractor working on the service desk before successfully securing a permanent position. He now works full time as an IT Operations Engineer with the IT operations support team. With responsibility for desktop and day-to-day server support, application and OS patching, every day presents a new challenge. Richard is learning fast and is in a hurry to become part of an infrastructure team; working as an architect and designing and implementing systems and solutions. This is where RITTech comes in. Richard obtained RITTech in September 2017 and enjoyed the clear and straightforward application process. Having gained an understanding for what RITTech can bring, he now feels that this standard is fantastic for his career, setting him apart from those who have yet to register. It s not just about letters after your name - it s about having resources to call upon when you need them.
IAN MORRIS: IT SUPPORT OPERATOR Ian started working at the RCN in July 2017 as an IT Support Operator on the service desk. He is the first point of contact for all RCN staff encountering IT issues. He has only been with the RCN a short time, but has already found it to be a great environment in which to develop his skills and knowledge and is thriving in an organisation that has a philosophy of supporting learning and development. RITTech is part of this. He really enjoys the sense of pride he feels having met a professional standard that is recognised across the field of IT. But he strongly believes that it is also important for his customers to know that the people supporting them meet a trusted standard. Ian strongly believes that the benefits of registrations are worth the effort and is very impressed at how supportive the RITTech support staff are. Offering RITTech is a sign of an employer who cares about their staff.
TOM NASH: SENIOR SOFTWARE DEVELOPER Tom has a degree and a Masters in Computing and has been working in IT for 10 years. Having initially worked in higher education on systems development, he progressed straight into a senior position at Leeds Building Society. Despite his experience, what Tom likes the most about the RITTech standard is that it tells you and other people what level you are at; it proves that you are up to speed and are operating at a high level of competency. Tom sees RITTech very much as an opportunity to further his career and this is a key reason for him working at the building society. He likes the fact that his employers are always pushing staff to improve and better themselves. In IT you can quickly fall behind; RITTech shows you are at a good level.
KAY RATCLIFFE: CHANGE MANAGER Kay has worked in IT since 1999 and has held a wide range of positions across three different organisations. Having worked in configuration management, service management and as a marketing database consultant, Kay now works in change management at Leeds Building Society and signed up to RITTech as a stepping stone to achieving Chartered status with BCS. Kay believes that achieving a professional standard demonstrates that you have reached a significant level of competency and indicates to recruiters in particular what you are capable of. She believes that, in this highly competitive environment, it helps you to stand out from the crowd, demonstrating your drive and ambition and giving you an advantage against those who have not achieved the RITTech standard. RITTech demonstrates your skills to potential employers.
ALEX BURNS: NETWORK ENGINEER Alex is a Network Engineer at Stack Interconnect, who are experts in the provision of IT Services and Management. His primary role is the design, implementation and testing of all the technologies that Stack provides. Alex has always been keen on IT, even installing his own internet line into his family home aged 15. On leaving school he began an apprenticeship in IT with 3aaa, before quickly achieving a technical diploma and becoming the first person in the UK to win a place on a trailblazer apprenticeship. He subsequently became the first apprentice in England to complete the new Digital IT Apprenticeship Standards with a distinction. Alex is committed to RITTech and the benefits it brings. He is proud to be an RITTech registrant as he feels it shows other members of staff and companies that he is highly skilled at the role he does within the business. The RITTech letters after your name gains respect and new opportunities for growth.
GRANT POWELL: ASSISTANT EDITOR Grant is part of the busy editorial team at BCS, generating content for a quarterly magazine and the BCS website. The role is varied and includes liaising with a wide variety of IT professionals, conducting interviews, writing articles, editing videos and more. Grant also needs to be adept with a variety of software packages and be up-to-date with current industry topics and trends in order to converse effectively with people at events, networking sessions and during interviews. Achieving RITTech registration gave Grant the chance to look back on his career to date and recognise the important milestones on the path to his current role. He feels strongly that it provides important evidence of his achievements and lets people know that he operates at RITTech level and above. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
KIRSTY LUCAS: WEBSITE EDITOR Kirsty started out at BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, as a Business Intelligence Analyst writing reports using Oracle SQL (and latterly Salesforce) and is currently a Website Editor. She is delighted to be RITTech registered as she feels it validates all the work she has done and the experience she has gained working with different IT systems. The thoroughness of the online application process impressed Kirsty and she recommends that applicants give real thought and time to it, preparing evidence offline before sitting down to complete the final convenient online process. The simple process was also a valuable asset to Kirsty, as taking the time to think about her role and achievements reminded her about how good she actually was and how much she had achieved. It s tangible proof that people believe I do a good job.
MARTIN COOPER: CONTENT MANAGER Martin, by his own admission, is an awkward fit in the world of IT - a technology journalist by trade and now part of BCS Communication and Marketing team. He needs a broad range of ever evolving digital skills, along with the practical skills needed to keep abreast of global tech trends. This allows Martin to give context to BCS tech news; advising about story treatments and ensuring that the stories are posted onto the right digital channels. Given his background, Martin is very aware of the huge range of different yet essential roles that make up the tech industry and that there is a fast growing need for a framework to give some structure to it all which is where RITTech comes into its own, giving recognition and validation to talented unsung heroes across industry, commerce, government and society. Get involved. It feels like RITTech is a growing movement.
BRING MORE More and more IT technicians are seeing RITTech as an invaluable way to stand out from the crowd. Once registered, you are able to use the post-nominal letters RITTech after your name. You will also have your name published on a public register to display your achievement (you can opt out if you wish). More importantly however, you can stand proud in demonstrating that you care about what you do and how you do it. That you have reached a professional level of competency and have been independently recognised by your professional body. Quality matters to you, and RITTech demonstrates that - to you, your employer and the wider world.
BENEFITS TO YOU AS AN INDIVIDUAL Whether you re quite new to the industry or have been in it a while RITTech will give you recognition, validation and will also make your CV stand out from the rest. RITTech after your name proves that you are competent at what you do and shows that you care enough to apply to be on this register *. RITTech is a sign of professionalism. * RITTech is only awarded to people working at a SFIA Level 3 or above.
BENEFITS TO THE ORGANISATION YOU WORK FOR RITTech doesn t just say something about you however - it says something about who you work for, and to their customers. It s all about quality and trust - and independent recognition of both. Employees with RITTech are passionate about what they do, and the people who employ them will be as well. Some organisations use attainment and retention of RITTech as part of their professional development measures.
MEET OUR CURRENT PARTNERS Here are a few of the companies that have already adopted RITTech.
LEARN MORE If you have been inspired by these success stories and would like to discover more about Professional Registration for IT Technicians, please call/email us or visit our website: 01793 417424 bcs.org/rittech/faqs rittech@bcs.org
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