Where will this course lead?

This course is ideal for you, if you wish to become an Information Communications Technician and are new to the sector or have previous qualifications and/or experience and are working in an associated role, which provides support for qualified professionals. 

This occupation is found within public, private and voluntary organisations, large and small, and across all sectors. Employers increasingly rely upon computer and communications systems in all areas of their operations and decision-making processes. It is therefore crucial to ensure the optimal performance and maintenance of systems. The broad purpose of the ICT occupation is to deliver efficient operation and control of the IT and/or telecommunications infrastructure (comprising physical or virtual hardware, software, network services and data storage), either on-premises or to end-users provisioned as cloud services, which are required to deliver and support the information systems needs of an organisation. The occupation includes contributing to the preparation for new or changed services, operation of the change process, the maintenance of regulatory, legal and professional standards, the building and management of systems and components in virtualised and cloud computing environments and the monitoring of performance of systems and services in relation to their contribution to business performance, their security and their sustainability. The apprentice would make their contribution through the application of infrastructure management tools, to automate the provisioning, testing, deployment and monitoring of infrastructure components. An Information Communications Technician provides support to internal and/or external customers, by using tools or systems to problem solve and trouble-shoot routine and non-routine problems. This occupation supports clients/customers with their systems. They achieve this through monitoring and maintaining the systems and/or platforms to maximise productivity and user experience. The apprentice could be installing and configuring computer systems, diagnosing hardware and/or software faults, solving technical and applications problems, either remotely or in person. Some examples of these issues are slow performance, connection problems, and an inability to access data. 

The work of an Information Communication Technician involves undertaking a vast array of specialist roles supporting business critical requirements and focus on customer solutions. Networking, Server, IT Essentials, Secure Communications, programming, and databases are just an example of typical tasks and projects undertaken within the likely areas of employment. In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with a wide variety of internal or external users of digital systems, through digital channels, remotely and/or face to face. An employee in this occupation will be responsible for prioritising systems support tasks as they arise and for monitoring and maintaining system performance. They may work alone or as part of a team but will escalate problems in line with their organisation's policies and Service Level Agreements. For example, if the task may not be completed on premise, it may have to be referred to an external specialist. 

This apprenticeship is suitable for the following job roles: 

· Support Technician 

· Network Technician 

· Digital Communications Technician

What will I study?

You will study the knowledge, skills and behaviours as set out within the apprenticeship standard, which will include the following subjects… 

· Principles of cloud, cloud platforms and cloud-based services 

· Principles of DNS / DHCP and LANs and WANs 

· API's and Web Services 

· Physical and virtual networks and their components 

· Approaches to 'back-up' and storage solutions 

· Continuing Professional Development and disaster recovery 

· Root cause problem solving using fault diagnostics for troubleshooting 

· Maintenance and preventative measures to reduce the incidence of faults 

· Key principles of security, including the role of People, Product and Process in secure systems, such as access and encryption requirements 

· Awareness of firewalls 

· VPN and Remote Access Security for example transmission technologies 

· Approaches to documenting tasks, findings and actions taken e.g., ticketing 

· Principles of peripherals such as printers and scanners 

· Awareness of DevOps methodology and tools 

· The role and significate of Test Plans 

· How to deploy and securely integrate mobile devices into a network 

· OSI layers 

· Communicate technical and non-technical information in a variety of situations to support working with internal and/or external stakeholders 

· Installation of software upgrades 

· Legislation in relation to disposal of waste materials e.g., Waste Electronic & Electrical Regulations (WEEE)

How will this course be delivered?

The apprenticeship programme consists of 'on-the-job' and 'off-the-job' training. You will receive on-the-job training from your employer and will also be allowed 20% off-the job training, which will involve your college block-release and independent study. 

Your independent study will be recorded in a learning journal, to capture evidence of your experiences, reflections and achievements. 

An assessor coach will be allocated to you and will visit your workplace on a regular basis, liaising with your work-based mentor, but you will also receive master-class workshops from college tutors. 

This will give you the opportunity to do real work, developing work-based skills that employers' value and helping you to progress in your chosen career.

What qualifications will I get?

· Level 3 Information Communication Technician Apprenticeship Standard 

· Level 2 Functional Skills Maths and English (if required)

How will I be assessed?

The apprentice's progress and development will be assessed at regular stages - this is likely to be a combination of assignments, activities, exams, reflective discussions and observations in the workplace. 

The employer and training provider will formally sign-off the apprentice's readiness for the independent End Point Assessment (EPA) at 'gateway'. Gateway is the point at which the apprentice has met and can confidently apply the minimum knowledge, skills and behaviours required, as detailed within the apprenticeship standard. 

The End-Point Assessment (EPA) will consist of 2 distinct components: 

· Professional discussion supported by a portfolio of evidence 

· Project report with questioning 

Performance in the EPA will determine your overall apprenticeship grade i.e., pass or distinction.

How do I get a place on the course?

In order to gain a place on this course, applicants must meet the entry criteria and attend a formal interview. All applications are to be submitted via the college website: 

https://www.solihull.ac.uk/apprentice/how-do-i-apply 

If you have a learning difficulty or disability, please let us know when you apply. If you need help with completing your application and at interview, we can provide support: 

https://www.solihull.ac.uk/uni-level-learner/student-services

What are the entry requirements?

To secure a place of study on the Level 3 Information Communication Technician's programme, the minimum entry requirements are as follows: 

· English GCSE Grade 4/C, Level 2 Functional Skills, or equivalent 

· Mathematics GCSE Grade 4/C, Level 2 Functional Skills, or equivalent 

· A GCSE Grade 4/C, Level 2 Functional Skills, or equivalent in ICT is preferred but not essential 

· Demonstrate a passion for computing and emerging communication technologies 

· Be at least 16 years of age 

You must also be employed in a relevant field (as indicated above) for a minimum of 30 hours per week.

What else do I need to know?

This course is a part-time programme, and you will be expected to attend day-release; 3 days per week for 6 weeks across the duration of the programme, between the hours of 09:00 to 17:00. Timetables will be issued to successful applicants prior to induction and enrolment, at the beginning of the course. 

As part of the national apprenticeship guidance, you will also undergo Equality and Diversity, British values and Prevent Training, which will prepare you with the necessary behaviour needed to work within the construction industry. 

Furthermore, you will also be required to complete 20% 'off-the-job' training as a minimum requirement for the apprenticeship course, which may require self-directed study, where will be supported by your assessor coach and work-based mentor.

Please contact the Employer Services Team for more information regarding funding and costs: apprenticeships@solihull.ac.uk 

Is there anything else I will have to pay for in order to do this course? 

There are no direct additional costs for this course, but you may want to purchase some textbooks for further reading. A suggested reading list will be supplied at the beginning of your course; however, we also have a wide selection of library books and electronic books for you to use too. You will be expected to supply your own stationery, such as folders, pens and paper. Connection to the internet is expected, but facilities are available at college to do this if necessary.

What can I do after this course?

Upon completion of the apprenticeship, you can: 

· Continue your employment in the industry 

OR 

· Progress onto higher level qualifications such as the Level 4 Network Engineer Apprenticeship (if applicable), or you could through the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) to become a Team Leader or Operations Manager.