What is the purpose of this qualification?
The purpose of this qualification is to develop a learners’understanding and skills in IT to enable progression to further learning and/or within work and daily lives.
This qualification can support learners with a spiky profile whereby learners can achieve a proportion of the learning at a higher/lower or lower level than that of the qualification.
Units have been developed according to the National Occupational Standards for Using IT.
What skills, knowledge, or understanding does this qualification develop?
This qualification requires learners to complete a mandatory unit in Improving Productivity Using IT as well as additional optional units from the following areas:
• Audio software
• Bespoke software
• Collaborative Technologies
• Computer basics
• Computerised Accounting
• Data management software
• Database software
• Design and Imagining software
• Design software
• Desktop publishing software
• Digital lifestyle
• Drawing and planning software
• Email
• Imaging software
• Improving productivity using IT
• Internet and World Wide Web
• IT communication fundamentals
• IT software fundamentals
• IT system performance
• Mobile IT devices
• Multimedia software
• Personal information management software
• Presentations software
• Productivity programmes
• Project management software
• Specialist software
• Spreadsheet software
• Video software
• Website software
• Word processing software
How is this qualification different from other, similar qualifications?
Learners can progress in two ways:
• increasing the range of skills they have by increasing the size of their qualification (Award → Certificate → Diploma)
• developing skills at a higher level by moving up the level of qualification from Level 2 to Level 3
The Level 2 Certificate in IT User Skills (ITQ) is most suitable for learners who require a programme of learning to develop their general IT skills that can be applied in learning or employment of for those require a period of time to develop a specific / specialist aspect of their IT skills that can be applied in learning or their job role, e.g accountancy or an IT Support Technician.
Which sector does this qualification support?
This qualification provides formal recognition of a learner’s IT Skills that can be applied in current or future employment for a variety of roles that require a considerable amount of time spent applying general IT skills in their day-to-day work or for those who require specialist IT skills.
How will this qualification support the learner’s independence?
This qualification forms part of the ITQ Framework that was developed, led by e-skills UK the Sector Skills Council for, Business, Information and Technology, to provide a flexible framework for recognising achievements in IT skills across the UK within the education system and industry.
Progression & entry requirements
The qualification is designed for the following learner groups:
• Those in education to ensure they are equipped with the appropriate skills to support their personal or career development.
• Those preparing for employment or in employment to gain a level of skills application and development to enable practical exploitation of the potential of IT within the business environment
• Those preparing for or in employment to develop skills for specific systems and software applications within industry and/or specifically for job roles in the IT sector.
It is likely that learners at this level will have level 1 skills and experience; may require considerable support at times, but may also have some capability to learn and develop skills with some autonomy.
The approved age range for these qualifications is: pre 16; 16-18 and 19+.
