ICT
At the work place we offer students a BTEC award in IT. The Award gives learners the opportunity to develop sector-specific knowledge and skills in a practical learning environment. The main focus is on four areas of equal importance, which cover the:
• development of key skills that prove your aptitude in digital information technology, such as project planning, designing and creating user interfaces, creating dashboards to present and interpret data
• process that underpins effective ways of working in digital information technology, such as project planning, the iterative design process, cyber security, virtual teams, legal and ethical codes of conduct
• attitudes that are considered most important in digital information technology, including personal management and communication
• knowledge that underpins effective use of skills, process and attitudes in the sector such as how different user interfaces meet user needs, how organisations collect and use data to make decisions, virtual workplaces, cyber security and legal and ethical issues.
This Award complements the learning in GCSE programmes such as GCSE in Computer Science by broadening experience and skills participation in different type of performance activities with the opportunity to practically apply your knowledge and skills, through project work such as developing ideas and performing for specific audiences.
The digital sector is a major source of employment in the UK, with 1.46 million people working in digital companies and around 45,000 digital jobs advertised at any one time. Digital skills span all industries; almost all jobs in the UK today require employees to have a good level of digital literacy. The UK has positioned itself to be the ‘digital capital of Europe’ as it continues to invest billions every year in digital skills and commerce.
As part of a Key Stage 4 programme, learners study a broad range of GCSEs, including English, mathematics and science. The BTEC Tech Award suite has been designed to allow learners to draw on the knowledge and skills acquired from these subjects where relevant. When studying for a ‘BTEC’, learners can use the knowledge and skills from GCSEs, giving them the opportunity to apply their academic knowledge to everyday and work contexts. The BTEC Tech Award suite is an introduction to vocational learning. The qualifications give learners the opportunity to build skills that show an aptitude for further learning, both in the sector and more widely. The approach to the suite is based on well-established BTEC assessment approaches that are proven to be successful in building skills and motivating learners to engage fully with challenging study. There is no limit to progression options as the skills acquired are applicable to a range of post-16 study options. The BTEC Tech Award suite differs from other BTECs designed to be taken post-16 as the qualifications offer a basis for further study, rather than meeting all the vocational requirements that learners need to progress directly to a job role in a defined occupational area. The focus is on building skills to show aptitude and improving understanding of progression options so that learners who achieve one or more of the qualifications are equipped to go on to become work ready for an occupation post-16.
