Employers groups are backing a competency framework for
IT professionals which aims to make it easier for IT staff and
employers to identify and develop management and people-focused
skills.
The
IT Professional Competency Framework, launched last week with
the backing of the British Computer Society and the Confederation
of British Industry, follows rising demand for staff with both
business and technical skills.
The model should make it easier for employers to identify and
recruit staff with the right management and people skills, said
sector skills council E-Skills UK, which developed the
framework.
"The IT Professional Competency model will enable employers to
understand clearly what someone should be able to do and the
standard of performance they can expect, supporting recruitment,
performance management and staff development," said E-Skills UK
chief executive Karen Price.
IT professionals will be able to use the model to help them plan
their career paths and identify areas where they could benefit from
training.
The organisations backing the framework believe it will enable
employers, recruitment companies and training organisations to use
a common language to describe the management and communication
skills of potential recruits.
The framework is designed to sit above the Skills Framework for
the Information Age, which helps employers and staff manage and
develop their technical skills.
The scheme has received the backing of Kate Davis, director of
the government IT profession, who said it was likely to be adopted
by government departments.
"There are nearly 50,000 IT professionals working across central
government and the public sector in a wide variety of roles. They
need and want a government-wide programme that sets high standards
of performance and development," she said.
David Clarke, chief executive of the BCS, said the framework
would help employers to align their development programmes to meet
their business requirements. "There is a growing need for
structured development programmes for IT professionals,
particularly in the light of offshoring," he said.
More information:
www.e-skills.com
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