Advanced Certificate in Information Technology in Support Services
Physical, Mathematical, Computer and Life Sciences - Information Technology and Computer Sciences
Purpose and Rationale
Qualification: Advanced Certificate: Information Technology: Support Services
Purpose
The purpose of this qualification is to equip students with the skills necessary to provide advanced and specialised Information Technology (IT) support services within corporate IT networks. The Advanced Certificate focuses on three main skill sets, namely Advanced Network Support, Database Administration, and Open Source Administration. These skills are initially introduced at a fundamental level in the Higher Certificate and are further developed to a specialist level in the Advanced Certificate.
Advanced Network Support Modules:
- Network Architecture.
- Security Principles.
- Client System Configuration.
- Applications Support.
Open Source Track:
- Introduction to Open Systems and Open Source Administration.
Database Modules:
- Introduction.
- Administration.
The qualification aims to strike a balance between practical and theoretical modules to achieve its goals. The Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) module is designed to combine and apply the learned skills in real-world scenarios to assess the correlation between different disciplines. This practical approach helps students master project development skills on an applied level.
Additionally, the qualification covers Service Management, focusing on best practices and corporate governance in IT Service Management. This component aims to connect the key disciplines covered in the course.
Rationale
This vocational qualification is designed to provide students with a strong knowledge base in IT, preparing them to apply their skills in a professional setting. The program offers practical and specialized learning to enable graduates to specialize in advanced IT support services.
Graduates will have the opportunity to further specialize in the niche market of advanced IT support services, beyond the scope of fundamental skills typically covered in Certificates and Higher Certificates. The Advanced Certificate addresses the demand for more advanced IT support services in the industry, giving students a framework of specialized skills including Database Administration, Open Source Administration, and Service Management.
By addressing the national skills shortage in IT, as recognized in the Department of Labour's National Scarce Skills List, this qualification prepares graduates for roles such as Support Specialists, LAN Technicians, System Support Administrators, Database Administrators, Open Source Technicians, and System Configuration Technicians.
Outcomes
- Maintain, deploy and support open source and vendor-specific systems.
- Apply the concepts and principles of professional IT support services and infrastructure in an organisation to enable and support the effective use of IT.
- Communicate effectively and appropriately in a professional environment.
- Work effectively in a group or team to support IT users and infrastructure to achieve common goals.
- Solve IT related problems in an unfamiliar context. Critical Cross-Field Outcomes: All the Critical Cross-Field Outcomes are addressed in this qualification.
Assessment Criteria
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
- Databases and the processes needed to support and administer them are explained.
- Open source systems are deployed and maintained.
- Concepts and principles of Information Technology support services in a business or corporate environment are applied to enable the effective use of Information Technology.
- Generally accepted good practice strategies and techniques are applied to ensure the security in a LAN networking environment.
- Network Security is constructed by applying strategies and techniques identified as common best practice.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:
- A critical understanding of the principles of Information Technology Support Services is demonstrated.
- Knowledge of methods of enquiry into Information Technology Support Services is demonstrated.
- Information in Information Technology support services is critically evaluated.
- Databases are developed, managed and maintained using a query language.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
- Information is communicated in a reliable and coherent format in a business environment using professional business communication discourse and formats.
- Analysis of evaluation of problem scenarios is communicated to clients.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:
- Peer contribution is evaluated to achieve the common goal of a given project.
- A practical project is implemented using project management skills in resolving specified problems.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5:
- Problems relating to Information Technology support in an unfamiliar context are solved.
- The principles and practices of basic project management are explained and applied to a series of practical scenarios.
Integrated Assessment:
- Learning and assessment are integrated.
- Formative assessment is continuous and focuses on smaller sections of the work and limited numbers of outcomes.
- Summative assessment is concerned with the judgement of the learning in relation to the Exit Level Outcomes of the qualification.
- Such judgement must include integrated assessments which test the student's ability to integrate the larger body of knowledge, skills and attitudes that are represented by the Exit Level Outcomes as a whole.
- Summative assessment includes examinations, projects, laboratory reports or equivalent assessment, such as portfolios of evidence and tests the student's ability to manage and integrate a large body of knowledge to achieve the stated outcomes of the qualification or part thereof.
Qualification Details
- Type
- Advanced Certificate
- NQF Level
- 06
- Min. Credits
- 126
- SAQA Source
- More Information
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This page includes information from the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) . Builtneat Pty Ltd trading as Study Start, has modified all or some of this information. SAQA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.