The Inclusion of Vendor Certifications in National Qualifications

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• The Inclusion of Vendor Certifications in
  National Qualifications

Stirling Wood Qualifications Curriculum
Authority
Stirling Wood
September 2004
2
The Situation to Date

• Certifications from
• Certiport
• CompTIA
• Cisco
• Microsoft
• Oracle
• Included in 9 qualifications, that lead directly
  to vendor certification, from
• OCR
• City Guilds
• Number of Candidates building

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Background

• Drivers
• Interests of the learner
• Commercial/Industrial
• Political
• Other
• Accessibility
• Financial Resourcing
• Human Resourcing
• IT Academies in schools

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How it Works

• Vendor certifications form part of a larger
  award, as optional units
• Awarding bodies own their own units but use
  vendor certifications as method of assessment
• Accreditation is given conditionally
• As a regulatory authority, we have the right to
  withdraw units of qualifications or whole
  qualifications
• As part of a national qualification, eligible for
  public funding
• IT Academies
• Complementing existing National Curriculum
  provision in schools
• Enhancing Further Education provision
• Monitoring and Evaluation
• Conditions of Accreditation
• Auditing of awarding body systems and provision

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Issues to Address (1)

• Regulatory
• Quality Assurance
• Monitoring/Evaluation
• Currency
• Partnerships
• Awarding bodies
• Industrial/Trade Associations
• Vendors
• Risks/Safeguards

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Issues to Address (2)

• Strengths
• QCA is working to reduce the costs of IT
  certification for students and open access to
  vendor certifications
• QCA is helping address the skills gap within IT
  by supporting the delivery of vendor
  certifications
• The awarding body, not QCA, has an agreement with
  the vendor that allows candidates to receive dual
  certification
• QCA seen to be flexible and responsive to
  employer needs
• Raises the profile of national qualifications
  resulting in increased uptake
• Maintain the quality assurance role of QCA with
  regard to generic and vendor awards
• Avoids the proliferation of qualifications
• Avoids contributing to corporate profits

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Issues to Address (3)

• Weaknesses
• QCA may get some criticism for perception that
  QCA funding Microsoft/Cisco/Oracle etc.
  certificates
• Public money goes to vendors third party testing
  agents (Certiport, Prometric VUE, etc.)

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Issues to Address (4)

• Opportunities
• Vendor certifications are widely valued by
  employers, employees and those wishing to enter
  the IT labour market
• Opportunity to promote QCA in this area
• Attract new people in to the industry
• National qualifications on an elevated position
  in terms of value/credibility/reputation.

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Issues to Address (5)

• Threats
• The awareness may result in questions about QCAs
  role in funding commercial certification
• Perception that QCA is using public money to
  increase vendors profits
• Vendors may pull out, leaving qualifications that
  are undeliverable.

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Lessons Learned (1)

• More than one methodology used
• Should we prescribe or let the market decide?
• Partnerships are the key
• With who?
• Currency
• Who determines what is current?
• Funding methodologies are often the driver
• In the UK complex issue, unique to the UK?
• Perceptions are important
• Get your key messages out early
• Tell people what youre doing!

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Lessons Learned (2)
Where theres a will, theres a way!
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The Future

• Development of a new Framework for Achievement
• Unit-based
• Credit-based
• Inclusive
• Vendor, company-specific?
• Contextualised
• Per sector occupation
• Defining what makes a person qualified
• Defined by the sector
• Owned by the sector

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e-skills UK 1 Castle Lane London SW1E 6DR t. 44
20 7963 8920 e. info_at_e-skills.com
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Stirling Wood Strategic Manager,
Sectors Workforce Development t. 44 20 7509
5668 e. woods_at_qca.org.uk www.qca.org.uk