New qualification takes on ECDL

A new entry-level IT qualification is going head to head with the European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL), following claims that ECDL is not living up to expectations as an industry standard qualification for PC skills.

IC3 tests an individual's basic IT competence, as well as the student's understanding of hardware, software and computer networks to prove that the holder has current and relevant computing and internet skills.

The £99 qualification is based on two and a half years of research with participants from all over the world, and uses a series of interactive exams to test knowledge, practical skills and problem solving ability.

It covers three broad areas: computing fundamentals, living online and key applications.

Candidates can view exam and certification results online at any time, and access can be granted to employers or educators to check candidates' results.

David Saedi, executive vice president of Certiport, the company behind the qualification, explained that its aim is to bridge the gap between academia and industry.

"Both ECDL and IC3 focus on a similar end of the market, but we provide one global group of exams and are more rigorous in terms of testing," he said.

"ECDL has left a bad taste in a lot of people's mouths because of the lack of real results. The propensity for people to finish doesn't seem to be there, and the relevance of courses would appear to have something to do with it."

According to the British Computer Society (BCS), of the half a million people who registered for ECDL in the UK, just 35 per cent have qualified since its launch two years ago.

However, Sinclair Brown, marketing manager at the BCS, suggested that large ECDL deals, including public sector wins across the NHS and the Ministry of Defence, showed that the qualification has been well received.

"We have no evidence to suggest that completion is a problem," he said. "A pilot with the NHS found that staff with ECDL saved 38 minutes a day in the job they do, and we've had very high satisfaction from feedback surveys."

The IC3 qualification is endorsed by certification body CompTIA, which recommends it as a stepping stone to its A+ certification track.

Essex County Council has run an IC3 pilot scheme across 25 of its schools to put teachers through the certification.

Richard Cole, ICT co-ordinator at the council, said: "We all felt that it is better than ECDL because the test had more functionality and tested a broader skills base. I'm not sure ECDL is broad enough in terms of its recognition."

But Cole warned that developing learning materials to sit alongside the exams is the missing link. "You can't have a test without having materials to learn and prepare for it," he explained.

Cole is now considering offering IC3 as an entry-level step up to the Microsoft Office Specialist qualification already being offered to adult learners at a discounted rate at 40 schools in Essex.