Assessing ICT (Information and Communication Technology) Skills in the U.S. and Europe AACC WDI – 1/30/03

Not-for-profit trade association for the Technology Industry Supports and represents more than 10,500 domestic and international companies in the global information technology industry Provides a unified voice for the technology industry with programs in — Vendor-Neutral Certification Public Policy Workforce development ServiceMetric ® E-Commerce/E-Business CompTIA Computing Technology Industry Association

Workforce Development Mission Provide the ICT industry with the information, tools and resources necessary to be successful in the recruitment, training, certification and retention of ICT workers worldwide.

Workforce 5-Step Model Awareness Create/ Deliver Training Certification Linking People With Jobs Career Pathing and Lifelong Skills Develop- ment

Key Projects and Programs Tech Career Compass –National Skills Standards ICT Apprenticeship JOBS+ program Technology Learning Group

Trends Rise of “knowledge economy” Globalization of work Projects as work mode “New employment contract” Measure ROI Worker Mobility

What Industry Wants  The right skills at the right time – Faster  Reduce cost by eliminating redundant training  Efficient recruiting, hiring, training and promotion  Identifiable career paths, transferable skills and credentials that are industry recognized and respected  Educators and trainers use industry- driven standards to prepare people for employment

Common US/EU Issues Continually changing demand for ICT skills throughout the economy Perceived lack of certification and assessment system that supports global mobility and industry requirements Roles of stakeholders Declining resources

US/EU Project Outcomes Develop Credential Framework Inventory and analysis Map Policy implications Create Credential System Ongoing management / administration Pilot Test Formal and non-formal contexts Integration of classroom and OJL Articulation / crosswalk

Workforce Training Relationships Global – Industry National – Standards State/Region – Funding Local - Training

Observation Over the 90,000 hours in a person’s worklife, we rigorously measure the performance and quality of 3,000 hours of academic/classroom preparation and haphazardly measure the rest (on the job learning) which is the most predictive measure of worker skill level

Certification Establishing industry-wide, nationally recognized standards of basic core competency levels Maximizing efficiency in recruiting, hiring, training and promoting employees Certifying individuals with in-demand skills Providing job seekers identifiable career paths, transferable skills and industry recognized credentials Producing the standards necessary to better prepare individuals to meet today's job requirements

Issues Scope Quality Validity Coverage Integration Harmonization GeoPolitics

The ICT Occupational Structure Basic Personal And Technical Skills For Entry Level Employment In IT Core Competency Personal And Technical Skills For Entry Into Specialization Areas Specialization Level 1-Foundational Specialization Level 2-Full Working Specialization Level 3-Mastery ApAp CertificationsCertifications

 General recognition of a critical skill or value gap Inventory of skills and identification of specific gaps   Develop Career & Salary Path Develop Plan For Training   Implement Training and Track Progress  Institutionalize and Commit To The Process Scope  Process Of ICT Workforce Development In A Company Company Workforce Maturity and Performance Realize Corporate Performance Improvement Objectives This is the point where companies often fail.

 General recognition of a critical skill or value gap Inventory of skills and identification of specific gaps   Develop Career & Salary Path Develop Plan For Training   Implement Training and Track Progress  Institutionalize and Commit To The Process Scope  Process Of ICT Workforce Development In A Company Company Workforce Maturity and Performance Realize Corporate Performance Improvement Objectives Scope Assessment Instruments Assessment And Analytical Instruments Career Compass and Study Guides Syllabi & OJT Task Lists Certifications / Career ID Company Workforce Maturity and Performance Linkage to the Educational Community

IT Worker Network Design & Admin Web Development & Admin Database Development & Admin Enterprise Systems Analysis and Integration Programming/ Software Engineering IT Generalist (Tech Support Specialist) Digital Media Project Management Required Core Specialization Skills Specialization Elective Skills Primary and/or Secondary Specialization Areas classroom instruction and structured OJT Specialization Skill Levels Level 1 (Foundational) Level 2 (Full Working) Level 3 Worker) Entry Level Criteria high school or GED, basic keyboard skills ICT Career Paths Level 4 (Master Worker) Level 0 (Employable) others

How Assessment / OJL System Will Drive Performance Apprenticeship Level Learning/Proficiency Level Performance Outcomes Performance Appraisal Pre-training Level 1 Foundational Level 2 Full Working Level 3 Journey Worker Level 4 Master Worker Knowledge Comprehension Application Analysis Critical Thinking Creative Thinking Works proficiently on moderately difficult tasks with minimal coaching Meets performance objectives consistently Contributes and performs with coaching on simple tasks Successful in performing complex tasks without coaching Provides coaching and mentoring to others Mastery of the most complex and challenging tasks Leads process improvement and innovation Provides coaching and mentoring Book & lab learning only Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1 -Proficiency sign-off (Q-cards) -Hrs (OJL & Classroom) -Certifications/degrees -Wages

The Career ID Concept

An online tool:  For the industry to manage workforce performance and training  For the individual to enable management of careers  For trainers and certifying bodies to plan curricula to meet industry requirements  TechCareer Compass

More Information John Engman CompTIA