ICT Apprenticeship.

[itguy22]

Hi all, my second post ever :-) This is a great site.

 

What do you all think of the ICT apprentiship schemes and what 'level' would be more appropriate for a more advanced technician role, leve 2/3 or 4?

 

Thanks :)

[KWestos]

Hi all, my second post ever :-) This is a great site.

 

What do you all think of the ICT apprentiship schemes and what 'level' would be more appropriate for a more advanced technician role, leve 2/3 or 4?

 

Thanks :)

 

I would think more 2/3 if I had to choose

[itguy22]

Have you ever done anything like this ?

[Kitkatninja]

Personally I would say level 3 for the more advanced tech (eg a technician with a couple to few years experience or a senior tech). And depending on your job role and responsibilities level 4 for the senior tech with more responsibilities to IT/Network Manager.

 

While I have not gone thru the route of apprenticeships myself (my tech is currently doing his level 2 and he just started working in IT this year), I have gone thru the NVQ process, and still going thru it - however this time I'm doing management instead of an IT related subject.

 

-Ken

[FN-GM]

Personally I would say level 3 for the more advanced tech (eg a technician with a couple to few years experience or a senior tech). And depending on your job role and responsibilities level 4 for the senior tech with more responsibilities to IT/Network Manager.

 

While I have not gone thru the route of apprenticeships myself (my tech is currently doing his level 2 and he just started working in IT this year), I have gone thru the NVQ process, and still going thru it - however this time I'm doing management instead of an IT related subject.

 

-Ken

 

Also depends on the area. I am on 4/5 and just a technician.

[SC-UK]

It's how I got started in IT. I did a NVQ L3 App working as an IT Technician. Brilliant way to get started in my opinion.

 

Will get your foot in the door of IT, get you a formal qualification, but you will learn so much more being in a real life IT enviroment as well.

 

Tom

[itguy22]

Thanks for that any more replys especially about the process of the apprentiships @ level 3 would be great.

[SC-UK]

I've got all of my L3 course critera etc somewhere if that would be any help to you? Although it will be at least a couple of days before I can get my hands on it.

 

Tom

[Kitkatninja]

Also depends on the area. I am on 4/5 and just a technician.

 

Cool, is that a level 4 NVQ with level 5 modules? Or a level 4 with the view to progress to level 5? As the higher level in IT I've seen is level 4 (with level 5 modules). As a NVQ 5 would be comparable to Masters degree level, that would be something I'd be interested in

 

-Ken

[itguy22]

Does anybody know if there is a big difference between level 2 and 3 NVQs in this subject?

 

ITGUy22

[Mako]

I'm an ICT Tech who got my job through a local council apprenticeship scheme, and I've completed a level 2 and level 3 NVQ through them in "Business and Administration". Of course there are numerous NVQ subjects you could undertake while being an IT Tech, unfortunately I didn't have a TA available who could cover the more IT-orientated subjects, so I settled with business admin... there was practically no difference between the level 2 and level 3. The level 3 required a bit more in depth responses, but the questions were essentially the same. I got funding for 12 months and completed the level 3 in 5 months because it was basically repeating what I did for the previous level.

 

Depends on the exact subject you take, I guess. I'm waiting for them to get back to me, because I have applied for another level 3 in Customer Service which, according to my TA, is even quicker to complete... based on my experience I would say "No, there's very little difference at all".

 

Hope that helps a little.

[neon]

Hello,

 

I have completed both NVQ level 2 and 3, level 2 is a massive step down from level 3 in my opinion. I found level 2 very easy, however with no previous experiance it was probably best for me to start at the bottom. I have passed NVQ level 3 now and am currently working on A+ im 22 and am thinking about the move from my current primary school to something a little bit bigger.

NVQ's are great for starting out and provide the theory aswel as letting you see how it works in practice.

 

Hope this helps, also if you want any other info like others I can give more detail about the course/units on offer... let me know.

 

Forgot to say the NVQ's i have are level 2: IT practitioners and level 3: IT Professional so both IT based.

[MNHughes]

I've had a bad experience at lvel three, but don't let that sway you am apprenticship definately gets your foot in the door.

 

At level 3 I was studying the MCSA

 

I would highly recommend the Microsoft route for a bigger salary.

 

So in conclusion I would say level 2 covers the basics and is very straight forward however its a bit of a shock when level 3 comes around as personally speaking the microsoft qualifications took me by surprize

[itguy22]

Thanks for that :-)

[pritchardavid]

umm didnt know there was a level 4 or 5 until just now

 

Throught I had the top level (Level 3)

 

Gusse my training college I went to doesnt do this, done level 2 with them and level 3, which I was just put on without asking and to complete level 3 they required me to complete a+ and n+

 

N+ just passed monday, which was the 6th or 7th attempt

passed first time round with the 2009 version

 

What to do now?

 

What whould level 4 and 5 require to do? or is it now worth it (hense would have to find someone that would do it)

 

If not would couse to do need? mcse?

[neon]

After you have the nvq level 3 I was offered something called the ipro which is worth 100 ucas points, with that you can do hnc/hnd and progress from there, alternatly there is a level 4 and 5 although the college I attend doesnt offer them.

 

You are building good quals if you have A+ and N+! Maybe look at mcse? ccna?

[Tunster]

I did Level 2 in IT Practitioner but did Level 3 units to get the course finished earlier. I could of done Level 3, but I was heavily involved working my way up at the school after getting employed full-time (as I did 4-day weeks as an apprentice).

 

Since doing the job I am now, networking is now the speciality I want to go in (most likely won't work for another school after this job). CCNA is very hard to do and needs a good understanding of basic networking. MCSE will take you towards desktop/server support. Depends where you want to specialise in.

[SC92]

I've just finished my level 2 apprenticeship as an ICT Technician and like others have said, I believe its a great way to get your/someones foot in the door of IT. I came fresh out of college after doing 2 BTEC Courses in ICT Practioning, so I wasn't all that qualified but the job role sorted that out extremely quickly. The coursework itself I had to complete was extremely basic, I would have a fornightly meeting with my assessor and I would have completed the work set in about 4-5 hours. The best thing about what I did was the actual job role as such. I wasn't actually required to do anyhing hugely technical (just the usual toners, printers, laptop trolleys etc) whilst on my apprenticeship but I got stuck in and I now have a full-time job out of it. I'm 19 years of age and I now have the FULL responsibility of running our, albeit really small, network of 30 imacs. Been a great experience for me and I genuinely enjoy coming to work everyday.