Digital Content Management

Learning Programme Content

The Learning Programme provision shall comprise of three mandatory elements:

• Qualifications,
• Essential Skills
• On/off the job training

The total minimum credit value required for the:

Level 3 - Digital Content Development is 90 credits.

Level 4 - Digital Content Management is 124 credits.

Entry requirements

Level 3: Digital Content Development

The majority of employers in this area require candidates who are:

• proactive, fast learners;
• able to work both in a team and sometimes alone able to focus on assisting customers and colleagues to find solutions to problems
• able to work logically and methodically, often under pressure to set deadlines
• able to deliver what is required, when it is required
• open to change and focus on the requirements of the business at all times

Applicants should have a keen interest in digital technologies and some experience in building and maintaining a web presence.

Applicants from diverse backgrounds are welcomed and Instructus expects employers and training providers to comply with the provisions of the Equality Act to ensure that applicants are not discriminated against in terms of entry to, and progression within the sector.

All parties involved in the delivery of Apprenticeships should ensure that there is equality of opportunity for all and any barriers (real or perceived) are addressed to support anyone seeking to enter employment and undertaking an Apprenticeship.

Level 4: Digital Content Management

In addition to the General entry requirements, candidates wishing to enter a Higher Apprenticeship will need to have achieved one of the following:

• A Levels, or equivalent educational attainment, including the Level 3 IT Diploma
• Welsh or International Baccalaureate or a relevant Level 3 Technical Certificate
• An Apprenticeship (Level 3)
• Employment within the technology/telecommunications industry for a number of years and demonstrated to their employer that they have a reasonable expectation of achieving the required outcomes of the Higher Apprenticeship. This can be supported by the demonstration or evidence of prior achievement or performance in the role prior to starting the Higher Apprenticeship.

Potential apprentices should bear in mind that a Higher Apprenticeship combines the challenges of higher-level education with full-time employment, and should be prepared for the greater volume and level of study than in the Apprenticeship or another Level 3 qualification.

Apprenticeship pathway learning programme(s)

Level 3: Digital Content Development

Level 3: Digital Content Development Qualifications

Participants must achieve the following combined qualification below.

Please see Annex 1 for the relationship between the competence and knowledge units within the combined qualification.

Essential Skills Wales (ESW)

Essential Skills Wales qualifications assessment languages are English-Welsh

On/Off the Job training

On/Off the Job Qualification details (Minimum Credit & Hours)

90 credits for competence and knowledge - Level 3 - Diploma in Digital Content Development (Combined).

The total amount of learning hours which includes both on and off-the-job training for the Digital Content Development Apprenticeship is 656.

On/Off the Job Essential Skills details (Minimum Credit & Hours)

6 credits / 60 GLH Level 2 Essential Skills Wales Communication

6 credits / 60 GLH Level 2 Essential Skills Wales Application of Number

6 credits / 60 GLH Level 2 Essential Skills Wales Digital Literacy

Level 4: Digital Content Management

Level 4: Digital Content Management Qualifications

Participants must achieve the combined qualification below.

Please see Annex 2 for the relationship between the competence and knowledge units within the combined qualification.

Essential Skills Wales (ESW)

Essential Skills Wales qualifications assessment languages are English-Welsh

On/Off the Job training

On/Off the Job Qualification details (Minimum Credit & Hours)

143 credits for competence and knowledge - Level 4 - Diploma in Digital Content Management (Combined).

The total amount of learning hours which includes both on and off-the-job training for the Digital Content Management Higher Apprenticeship is 595.

On/Off the Job Essential Skills details (Minimum Credit & Hours)

• 6 credits / 60 GLH Level 2 Essential Skills Wales Communication
• 6 credits / 60 GLH Level 2 Essential Skills Wales Application of Number
• 6 credits / 60 GLH Level 2 Essential Skills Wales Digital Literacy

Other additional requirements

None

Progression

Progression from this Level 3 Apprenticeship in Digital Content Development:

The Level 3 Apprenticeship programme offers successful apprentices the opportunity to further progress in their studies and go on to undertake a related degree programme. They could select from Bachelors degrees, Foundation degrees, Higher Nationals or another higher level qualification. Apprentices may also elect to continue within their job role and pursue their learning by undertaking additional technical, business or managerial level training and qualifications.

Apprentices who have completed a Level 3 apprenticeship programme have often progressed within their career to take on team leader or senior level positions, utilising their expanding technical expertise – and guiding and training others within the organisation.

The Diploma in Digital Content Management at Level 4 will provide a progression route for those completing the Level 3, and a direct non-graduate entry route into the IT industry, giving a route to more specialised and technical roles.

Progression from this Level 4 Apprenticeship in Digital Content Management:

Following the completion of the Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship pathway, successful apprentices will be able to follow up on their knowledge studies and continue on to complete:

•  Foundation Degrees
• Higher National Certificates/Diplomas
• BA Honours Degrees
• Related professional courses.

Equality and diversity

It is important that Apprenticeship Pathways are inclusive and can demonstrate an active approach to identifying and removing barriers to entry and progression. Pathways should advance equality of opportunity between persons who share protected characteristics and those persons who do not as identified in the Equality Act 2010.

The Protected characteristics identified in the Equality Act are age, disability, gender re-assignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity. Marriage and civil partnership is also included although only in respect of the requirement to eliminate discrimination in employment.

Training providers and employers must also comply with the other duty under the Equality Act 2010 to ensure that applicants are not discriminated against in terms of entry to the industry based upon those nine protected characteristics.

The Digital Content Development and Digital Content Management Pathways offer no barriers to entry and is intended to accommodate all learners regardless of gender, age, disability or ethnic origin.

The learning content required for the off-the-job learning can be delivered in a number of different learning styles to accommodate learner requirements.

Employers and training providers are expected to comply with the Equality Act 2010 to ensure that applicants are not discriminated against in terms of entry to, and progression within the sector, using the protected characteristics.

The following sections are included to identify current workforce demographics. (Data refers to the UK as a whole and to the whole of the IT & Telecoms sector of which Information Security is a part)

GENDER EQUALITY

Gender imbalance remains a significant issue for the IT & Telecoms sector. Considering IT & Telecoms professional job roles across all sectors, there has been a drop of female representation from 22% in 2001 to 18% in 2011. This compares to the overall UK workforce being 48% female.

As is the case in industry, gender imbalance is prevalent across IT-related courses, and this is worsening over time throughout the education system. 15% of applicants to Computing degree courses are female and the proportion of females who sat the 2013 Computing A-Level is 6.5%, which was 1.3 % lower than in 2012. This under-representation of women across the whole IT & Telecoms sector has a number of causes including:

• a lack of awareness (by both individuals and career advisors) of the broad range of career opportunities available
• confusion in school teaching of ICT between IT User and IT professional roles

AGE OF WORKFORCE

Analysis of the period 2001-2011 shows a changing trend in the age profile of IT & Telecoms professionals. The proportion of people aged 16-29 has dropped from 33% in 2001 to 19% in 2011.

The average age of IT & Telecoms professionals working in the UK is estimated to be 39 years old, compared with 41 years old for workers more generally. Just under one half (47%) of IT & Telecoms professionals are aged 40 or above and less than one in five (19%) are in the 16-29 age bracket.

A key contributory factor to this changing dynamic in IT & Telecoms is the effect of globalisation. The maintenance of strong apprenticeship programmes in the sector will be vital to ensure that this trend can be halted or reversed in the coming years, thereby ensuring that the sector has the pipeline of skilled professionals that it requires to move into higher level job roles in 5-10 years’ time.

ETHNICITY AND DISABILITY

The Information and communication technologies industry is one of the most ethnically diverse industries in the UK, with 13% of the workforce (an increase from 8% of the workforce in 2002) Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic compared to 9% across the whole economy.

There is significant provision for individuals with disabilities throughout the IT & Telecoms sector with many, varied opportunities for rewarding careers at all levels. This in turn means that apprenticeships are available in a wide range of areas for those with differing levels of disability.

Employment responsibilities and rights

Employment Responsibilities and Rights (ERR) is no longer compulsory.  But it is recommended that all apprentices (especially the 16 years -18 year group) receive a company induction programme.

Responsibilities

It is the responsibility of the Training Provider and Employer to ensure that the requirements of this pathway are delivered in accordance with the Welsh Government Apprenticeships Guidance.

Further information may be obtained from: Welsh Government

DfES-ApprenticeshipUnit@gov.wales

Document revisions