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Level 3 Apprenticeship Standard

This information sheet should be read in conjunction with the following related documents:

• For employers:

  • Apprenticeship Training: key information for employers

  • Apprenticeship financial information for employers

• For learners:

  • Apprenticeship information for Young Adults OR

  • Apprenticeship information for Established Professionals

 

Who is it for?

The Information Communications Technician apprenticeship is suitable for someone new in a role or an existing team member.

There are three pathways in the ICT apprenticeship so the apprenticeship can be used to support a wide range of roles:

• Support Technician

• Network Technician

• Digital Communications Technician
   

Course Content

The ICT apprenticeship standard details the knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs) expected of a competent technician and the duties expected.  The duties that apply to all pathways include:

 

• Duty 1: Provide technical support to customers both internal and external through a range of communication channels
   

 

• Duty 2: Establish and diagnose ICT problems/faults using the required troubleshooting methodology and tools

• Duty 3: interpret technical specifications relevant to the ICT task

• Duty 4: apply the appropriate security policies to ICT tasks in line with organisation requirements

• Duty 5: undertake the relevant processes with the relevant tools and technologies to resolve ICT technical issues

• Duty 6: communication with all levels of stakeholders talking them through steps to take to resolve issues or set up systems, keeping them informed of progress and managing escalation and expectations

• Duty 7: apply appropriate testing methodologies to hardware or software or cabling assets

• Duty 8: practise guided continuous self learning to keep up to date with technological developments to enhance relevant skills and take responsibility for own professional development

• Duty 9: document or escalate ICT tasks as appropriate to ensure a clear audit trail and progression of issues

 

Content for the individual pathways includes:

 

• Support Technician

• Network Technician

• Digital Communications Technician

• Install and configure hardware and software

• Provide technical support

• Administer users and security controls

• Support rollout of upgrades, new systems or applications

• Install and maintain cabling

• Install and configure network software and hardware such as switches and routers

• Administer devices on a network

• Administer network security

• Install and maintain cabling

• Install and configure computer or telecoms hardware

• Maintain computer systems or telecommunication networks

• Research solutions to maintain network communication architectures

• Monitor systems performance to ensure continuous delivery

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Vendor certifications such as Comptia or Microsoft may be available for this course.  Please let us know as soon as possible if you are interested in these so we can confirm availability and provide further information on these.

 

Delivery

The apprenticeship usually takes around 15 months to complete.  Following Covid-19 we have moved to a completely remote delivery model which includes:

• Video call tutorials (usually fortnightly)

  • Recording allows learners to retain and review these

  • Screenshare and cloud-based file management allow real-time collaboration and editing of documents

• Virtual classroom workshops

  • These enable learners to get to know and collaborate with other participants in the programme

• Quarterly Progress Reviews involving the Assessor Coach, the learner and the line manager/mentor

• E-learning modules

• The development of an electronic portfolio of evidence (e-portfolio)

The tutorial sessions are used to:

• Provide teaching and learning to cover knowledge requirements

• Plan future learning and set SMART targets

• Set coursework/assignments

• Review and assess coursework and provide feedback

The learner records evidence of their learning in their e-portfolio.  Evidence/coursework can include: documents (reports, assignments etc.), spreadsheets, observations, professional discussions and witness testimonies from the line manager.

At the start of the programme, the Assessor Coach will work with the employer and the employee to develop a Training Plan which will be designed to ensure that it meets the needs of both.
 

End Point Assessment (EPA)

When the employer, the learner and the Assessor Coach all agree that the learner is ready, they pass through ‘Gateway’.  This means the training is completed and the learner registers for their End Point Assessment (EPA).

The EPA consists of:

A Professional Discussion, underpinned by a portfolio of evidence

This is a two way discussion that gives the learner the opportunity to demonstrate their competence against a subset of the KSBs.

 

Project Report with Questioning

The project is compiled after the learner has gone through the gateway.  The learner has 4 weeks to complete it and the employer needs to ensure the learner has sufficient time and resources to do so. The project should be designed to ensure that the learner’s work meets the needs of the business, is relevant to their role and allows the relevant KSBs to be demonstrated for the EPA.  The maximum word count is 1,500. The report must be submitted at least one week before the question session.

The question session will last 30 minutes and include a minimum of 5 questions.  The learner will have access to the report during the question session.
 

The Outcome

Those who pass the End Point Assessment receive an Apprenticeship Certificate from the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE).  Apprenticeship Certificates are the nationally recognised accreditation that demonstrate an individual has the required knowledge, skills and behaviours to be able to fulfil the professional requirements of the role.
 

English and Maths

All apprenticeship training programmes include an element of English and maths education and your line manager/mentor will be asked to work with you and the Assessor Coach to identify where these subjects play an important part of your role so that your Assessor Coach can ensure that any areas for development are addressed.

If you do not already hold level 2 qualifications in these subjects, you will be required to study for and achieve level 2 Functional Skills qualifications in them.