News
IET becomes first institution to award new ICT qualification
11 February 2009
The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) has become the
first professional institution licensed to award the new ICTTech
qualification.
ICTTech has been launched following industry demands for a
competence-based professional qualification for the vast array of IT and
communications technicians who support and maintain the systems on which
nearly every business and organisation in the UK depends.
It will help employers to identify ICT practitioners who hold the
soft skills they need while also recognising the underpinning technical
experience. It will strengthen professionalism and ethical
practice in an important sector of employment.
Michelle Richmond, IET Director of Membership and Professional
Development, said, “We are delighted to be licensed to award ICTTech,
the first new registration category on the Engineering Council Register
for nearly 35 years. This new standard enables those working in ICT to
work towards a recognised qualification, greatly strengthening
professionalism within the sector.
“As a world-leading institution representing 150,000 engineers, the
IET believes in continuous professional development as the crux of a
progressive workforce and, therefore, a healthy economy.”
Kel Fidler, Chairman of the Engineering Council UK (ECUK), who has
licensed IET to award the ICTTech qualification, said, “The ICTTech
standard allows practitioners to work towards a recognised
qualification, marked by post nominals. It is designed to cover a range
of jobs which involve facilitating or supporting the use of ICT
equipment and applications by others. ICT Technicians work in areas such
as ICT hardware, software or system installation, operation,
maintenance, change/problem management, administration, security, fault
diagnosis and fixing.”
Wing Commander Stew Edmondson is the Commanding Officer of Number 1
Radio School, which trains all of the Royal Air Force's ICT specialists.
He said, "The RAF is reliant upon a huge range of complex
communications, information networks, sensors and detection systems in
order to undertake effective air operations on a global scale.
"There are approximately 3,000 technician level ICT specialists in
the RAF. They are employed in a really broad spectrum of roles both in
the UK and around the globe and their career structure and training has
recently been refined. A major theme of this work has been to promote
the professionalism of ICT technicians.
“The registered ICT Technician award provides a much needed
opportunity for corporals and sergeants to recognise their proven
experience and competency."
For more information on ICTTech visit:
www.theiet.org/icttech
www.icttech.org.uk/
|