ECUK to launch ICT Technician Register

Discussion in 'News' started by Kitkatninja, Jun 8, 2008.

  1. Kitkatninja
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    Kitkatninja aka me, myself & I Moderator

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    ECUK to launch ICT Technician Register



    There is currently no professional qualification for the growing number of technicians who work in the key fields of IT and communication systems. The Engineering Council UK (ECUK) has announced its intention to rectify this omission by offering such individuals the opportunity to apply for registration as Information and Communications Technology Technicians. Those meeting the competence requirements for entry onto the new register will be granted the post-nominal title ICTTech.

    The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) has been at the forefront of developing the ICTTech award, which will initially be offered through a small group of engineering institutions licensed by ECUK. Assessment of the first applicants should begin by the end of this year, with a view to the ICTTech register going live at the beginning of 2009.

    To see the whole article see here & here.

    As for me, I'm very disappointed that the BCS isn't leading this as they should be the organisation in the forefront in the field of IT/ICT. I mean how would the IET/ECUK feel if the BCS decided to develop their own engineering certs/quals? Oh well, apart from that, I feel that this is a good move - standardising standards and lifting the IT profession.

    -ken
     
    Certifications: MSc, PGDip, PGCert, BSc, HNC, LCGI, MBCS CITP, MCP, MCSA, MCSE, MCE, A+, N+, S+, Server+
    WIP: MSc Cyber Security
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Comments

    1. Kitkatninja
      Kitkatninja
      Just an update of the initial organisations that will involved with the ICTTech mark (as of the 12/June/2008 ):

      1. IET
      2. RAeS
      3. IMarEST
      4. SOE

      -Ken
    2. garados2002
      garados2002
      Hi,


      I am confused between the Graduate Diploma and BEng(Hons.) qualification. I've checked with some universities in the UK,the Grad. Dip. is a course after graduation from the BEng but is deemed lower than a MEng. But in other countries outside the UK the Grad. Dip. is often taken as equivalent to a diploma/higher diploma and not a graduate course. Btw, is the Engineering Council UK(ECUK) level 6 Graduate Diploma/BEng examination considered an accredited BEng? I've checked the C&G web, the level 6 is actually set at the same standard as the final third year examination of many top Universities in the UK which upon passing the minimum five papers + a compulsory project will be granted a BEng(Hons.) (likewise to level 7). But isn't the Grad. Dip. course supposed to be after BEng? What is the standing of the ECUK level 6 compared to a university BEng? What is a Graduate Diploma actually?
    3. Kitkatninja
      Kitkatninja
      Hi & welcome to CF, please introduce yourself here :)

      First of all, I'll try to explain the higher educational qualifications:

      You've got your:

      1. HNC - which is roughly equivalent to 1/3 of a Bachelor's degree (NQF Level 5/FHEQ I)
      2. HND/dipHE/Foundation Degrees - which is roughly equivalent to 2/3 of a Bachelor's degree (NQF Level 5/FHEQ I)
      3. BSc/BA - a full degree (NQF Level 6/FHEQ H)
      4. PGCert - a higher certificate, higher than a BSc/BA on the NQF, but lower than a full Masters (roughly equivalent to 1/3 of a Master's degree) (NQF Level 7/FHEQ H)
      5. PGDip/PGD - a higher diploma, higher than a PGCert, but lower than a full Masters (roughly equivalent to 2/3 of a Master's degree) (NQF Level 7/FHEQ H)
      6. MSc/MA/MBA - a full post grad degree (NQF Level 7/FHEQ H)
      7. Doctorates - a further post grad degree, higher than the Master's degree (NQF Level 8/FHEQ D)

      Notice that even though the HNC is lower than the HND, they both sit at the same level of the NQF/FHEQ, the same is true of alot of qualifications.

      Now on to the next part - Graduate Diploma... Alot of people/companies interchange the term Graduate Diploma & Post Graduate Diploma. This is where the UK eudcational system gets confusing, any UK qualification can be called anything (certificate, Diploma, degree) what matters is where it's mapped to on the NQF/FHEQ. Generally speaking the Graduate Diploma at NQF level 6 is mapped to BSc/BA level, while the Post Graduate Diploma is mapped at NQF level 7, which is the same level as a Master's degree but as it is not a full Master's - it is a lower qualification.

      OK, the ECUK (like the BCS) is not an academic institute, hence why it does not issue "degrees" (the term degree relates to academic, the ECUK, IET, BCS are professional bodies), however they can issue qualifications that map to the NQF as they have been given Chartered status by the Privy Council. Hence why their Graduate Diploma is equivalent to a BSc/BA and their Postgraduate Diploma is roughly equivalent to the Master's.

      Do not confuse/mix academic qualifications with each other and do not try to match titles of academic and professional qualifications with each other - without looking at the NQF/FHEQ first. Otheriwse you may find the diploma you've just done is only worth 5 GCSE when you were hoping for a degree level qual.

      And that's without talking about the NVQ system and how that maps to the NQF :)

      Hope this helps

      -Ken

      City & Guilds are different as they issue both academic & professional qualifications.

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