In his occasional series profiling BCS groups, John Kavanagh takes
a look at the work of the Information Systems Examinations
Board
Steve Malde, chief information officer and vice-president of
information systems at British Telecom's Syncordia Solutions has no
doubts about the significance of the BCS Information Systems
Examinations Board (ISEB). Nine of his staff have become the first
to achieve its independent diploma in business systems
development.
"I am delighted that so many of my team are the first in the
world to receive the diploma," he says. "The BCS is a key partner
for our people development programme, and we look forward to
continuing working together in the delivery of excellence."
The Syncordia staff each took courses on between five and seven
topics to achieve a diploma in one of five subjects: systems
analysis and design, data management, Structured Systems Analysis
and Design Methodology, business analysis, and rapid application
development.
Malde's support is typical of that of many employers who not
only use the accredited companies that provide the courses but also
build the qualifications into their own training and career
development schemes.
Some ISEB programmes get hundreds of candidates a year. Topics
range from project management and system development to security,
communications, service management and data protection.
"There has been an unprecedented level of activity in the ISEB
over the last year," says ISEB exams manager Sarah Dyer. "This
shows the IS community is placing increasing importance on
professional qualifications. In the last year candidate numbers
have risen by 54% over 1998-1999 figures and by 89% over 1997-1998.
This in turn has led to a big increase in accredited ISEB training
providers, from 16 to 59."
ISEB qualifications and training can be used as evidence to
support a BCS membership application, and for the society's
Continuing Professional Development scheme. Some qualifications can
also provide exemption from parts of the BCS professional
examinations.
www.bcs.org.uk