Developing Professionalism in IT.Who needs it?

Kevin Streater & Simon Rae

Centre for Professional Learning & Development,

Business Development Unit,

The Open University

Facts about The Open University

• The UK’s largest University• Over 263,000 students registered with us this year• 89% of part-time students study to further their career aims• 2009/2010 figures give approx. 13,000 students (FTEs) in IT-

related subject areas• The OU currently makes over 44,000 academic awards

annually• Since 1971 the OU has made over 778,000 academic awards,

including over 310,000 first degrees & over 47,000 higher degrees

• The OU has a 40-plus year partnership with the BBC and has co-produced programmes such as Coast, Seven Ages of Britain, The Virtual Revolution and Bang Goes The Theory

‘IT professional workforce central to economic recovery’ 

‘Globalisation and convergence have had major impacts on the IT & Telecoms workforce and the sector has experienced the effects of recent economic developments. However, the sector is expected to make a fast recovery. In addition, it is clear that the IT & Telecoms professional workforce will be central to the UK’s economic recovery.’

(e-skills UK Technology Counts UK: IT & Telecoms Insights 2010)

The IT Professional Skills Landscape

Available data shows that IT skills are in demand:

1. The UK need for IT Professionals is 23% higher than at the start of 2010 (Reed Annual Job Index).

2. e-Skills UK reports that demand for IT & Telecoms professionals has risen in 2010 with over 90,000 advertised positions available in the UK.

3. The number of applicants to IT related higher education courses has decreased 44% since 2001.

4. From 2002-2009 applicants' to Computing degrees have dropped 33%.

5. Recruiters reported difficulty in filling IT & Telecoms positions due to a lack of candidates with the required skills, qualifications or experience (e-Skills 2011).

The Professional Body View

The BCS has indicated that:

1. The desired level of maturity for the IT profession is an established level i.e. between level 4 and 5.

2. The current level is considered to be between levels 1 and 2.

3. To attain level 2, qualifications need to be brought together in a single regime, a professional core body of knowledge is defined and CPD operates.

Profession Maturity Model derived from the Carnegie Mellon University Capability Maturity Model®

SFIA Framework

• SFIA v4 is sector specific competency framework

• Used to describe roles in the IT & Telecoms Sector

• Key Drivers are to enable:– Business Effectiveness– Productivity– Resource Planning– Capability Mapping– Mergers and Acquisitions

Skills Framework for the Information Age

Activity Theory representation of‘Developing Professionalism’

Tools

Subject

Community

Object

Division of Labour

Rules

Outcomes

Activity Theory representation of‘Developing Professionalism’

CPD

IT Graduate

IT Profession

Develop Professionally

Accredited by IT Professional body

Standards and professional core body of knowledge

Professionalism

Developing new levels of Professionalism

CPD

IT Graduate

IT Profession

Develop Professionally

Accredited by IT Professional body

Standards and professional core body of knowledge

New levels ofProfessionalism

Mark Palmer – Open University – m.i.palmer@open.ac.uk

Supported Distance Learning

Tutor

Student+

Study Guide

On-line Conferencing

Tutorials

Residential

Assignments - TMAs

Manager’s Study Guide

Course Books

Revision

ExaminationStudent Forums

Negotiated Foundation DegreeNegotiated Foundation Degree

This new award is being developed and piloted using the ‘Learning through Work’ (LtW) platform. LtW is an on-line planning, management and delivery system to enable Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to offer negotiated work-based programmes agreed between learners, employers and HEIs. This process results in a customised learning programme that meets specific employer needs. This personalised, negotiated, foundation degree includes: • Work-based learning• APEL• Accreditation of employer-based educational

programmes• Open University modules• Learning programmes negotiated between

student/employee, employer, OU

Pilot Foundation Degree using this model is the National Foundation Degree in ICT.

Negotiated Foundation Degree (G20)- IT Industry Example

T122Level 1 30credits

M150Level 1 30credits

MT127Level 1 30credits

U122Level 1 30credits

T216Level 2 60credits

M263Level 2 30credits

T227Level 2 30credits

Make your experience countWork experience/training

Cisco NetworkingCCNA

Foundations Degree in Combined Professional

Practice

Data, computing and information

Building blocks of software

Career development and employability

Change, strategy and projects at work

Certified Practitioners 1Microsoft MCP or CCNA plus SFIA level 2 skill

PG Certificate in IT Professional Practice

ProfessionalProgramme

1. Professional foundations - overview

and concepts

2. Problem solving - analysis and intervention

3. Leadership skills for effective

IT-led change

4. Management of change -

techniques for analytical

frameworks

5. IT project management - key

concepts and application

6. Business solution design - introducing

the information systems lifecycle

Portfolio Assessment

BYA834 Improving your Practice

30 points – 6 months

UYA810Continuing Professional Development in Practice

30 points – 6 months

150 hours from Employer induction

training

ExternalCourse

15 hours15 hours CPD

ExternalCourse

15 hours15 hours CPD

ExternalCourse

15 hours15 hours CPD

ExternalCourse

15 hours15 hours CPD

ExternalCourse

15 hours15 hours CPD

ExternalCourse

15 hours15 hours CPD

Potential 45 points (maximum

permitted) MBA elective

60 points MSc

60 points Open Masters

OR

OR150 hours Readings, CPD concept

map, AssessmentTheme – Impact on

practice

50 hours Assessment

Theme – Improving your practice

Postgraduate Certificate in Advanced Professional Practice

70 hoursReflective log based

on CPD

Custom Postgraduate Certificatein Advanced Professional Practice

Developing Professionalism in IT.Who needs it?Conclusion

1. The IT Skills Landscape is changing.

2. There is a need to drive the IT Profession further up the Professional Maturity Model to develop greater professionalism.

3. Employers need to look at staff development in the longer term.

4. Higher Education needs to develop flexible CPD ‘Tools’ that will accommodate these ‘Rule’ changes and take in to consideration the ‘Community’ of IT Professionals and Employers.

So who needs Developing Professionalism in IT?• Professional Bodies need it, Employers need it, Individuals need it,

Universities need it, we all need it.

For more information please contact:

http://www.openuniversity.co.uk/it

Kevin Streater

Executive Director, Employer Engagement

IT & Telecoms Sector

Business Development Unit

The Open University

Walton Hall

Milton Keynes MK7 6AA

United Kingdom

Mob: +44 7802 933974

Email: k.streater@open.ac.uk