CSSL ICT skills certification

Tuesday, 22 July 2014 00:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The certification of ICT skills is imperative. That is why the Computer Society of Sri Lanka (CSSL) in partnership with the Australian Computer Society (ACS) offers a certification of ICT skills based on the SFIA (Skills Framework for the Information Age) competency framework. Any CSSL member could apply to be certified in any of the 96 SFIA skills and seven levels of responsibility defined in the SFIA framework. The framework provides a clear description of each professional skill and generic skills at each level of responsibility. SFIA is an open source, two dimensional skills matrix developed in 1998, by the Skills Framework for the Information Age Foundation, a UK consortium comprising IET, IMIS, e‐skills UK and BCS. This Framework is revised and updated constantly. The current version of the Framework is version 5, which was released in December 2011. The certification offered from CSSL entails industry wide recognition that would shorten recruitment process, optimise training expenditure and provide a snapshot of the skills available within an organisation. For ICT practitioners, this provides a method to self assess the ICT skills and plan their career development for a target ICT role both locally and internationally. The 96 SFIA Skills included in the certification can be broadly divided into six categories:

Strategy and architecture
Business change
Solution development and implementation
Service management
Procurement and management support
Client interface

“The world is moving to cloud era as organisations around the world are looking for real benefits from their ICT teams. I believe SFIA will align the organisation’s ICT skills and therefore deliverables to the business strategy. Organisations around the globe are looking for new skill sets, which can take their ICT to next level. The SFIA framework helps define and articulate those skills. SFIA helps to determine where I stand as an ICT Professional. “I am happy to recognise as Level 6 ICT professional and more than anything it helps to understand me the areas that I need to improve to become next level. I wish all the very best for CSSL and ACS to taken this big initiative which is a desired need in the industry to take ICT to global,” Brandix Essentials ICT Manager Sampath Perumbuli said. Apart from these SFIA Skills offered, there are seven levels of attainment or responsibility defined in the SFIA framework: 1. Follow 2. Assist 3. Apply 4. Enable 5. Ensure and advise 6. Initiate and influence 7. Set strategy, inspire, and mobilise No certification would be complete if it weren’t for the inclusion of generic skills and the CSSL and ACS certification includes autonomy, complexity, influence and business skills that are required to be on par with afore mentioned seven levels of responsibility. The certification of ICT Skills in any of the 96 SFIA skills and seven levels of responsibility defined in the SFIA framework is open to any CSSL member. The Computer Society of Sri Lanka offers a range membership types tailored to suit Information and Communication Technology professionals of differing calibre. Starting off with the MCS that incorporates ICT graduates with professional experience, the Associate membership is for ICT graduates starting out in the industry. CSSL also takes into consideration the increasing student population of ICT both at university and school levels. Moreover, the Society, rooted in its values to promote diversity and its respect for the rights and beliefs of individuals also has an Affiliate membership that encourages all ICT enthusiasts to come on board if in the event they do not have the required prerequisites to qualify as professional members or do not wish to do so. Finally, the corporate membership includes ICT companies in the country whose primary objective is connected with the production and service of technology. The program is guided and mentored by trained evaluators at ACS and CSSL who will evaluate if a member has attained a certain level in a given skill based on evidence provided. Once successfully evaluated and certified, the member is issued a certificate, which clearly indicates the skill and the level of the member. This is globally recognised and provides an independent assessment of the members capabilities based on the SFIA framework. Established in 1976, the Computer Society of Sri Lanka or CSSL was on a mission to promote Information and Communication Technology as well as endorse for professionalism for those in the field. A not-for-profit organisation, CSSL is the apex body for ICT professionals in the country. Thus, becoming a member of CSSL is not only a mark of endorsing professionalism in the ICT sector, but also a recognition of an organisation’s commitment towards increasing its professional development. The Computer Society of Sri Lanka is in the process of incorporating CSSL under an Act of Parliament. Incorporation of CSSL under an Act of Parliament would gain due in support and recognition to ICT professionals in country especially with the establishment of Chartered Status for ICT professionals in Sri Lanka has been included in the Incorporation Act. One of the annual programs the Computer Society of Sri Lanka has for students of Government and Private schools is the National Schools Software Competition or NSSC. One of the most looked forward to programmes of CSSL is the National Schools Software Competition (NSSC). In its 25th year running, the Competition intends to develop IT skills of Sri Lankan school children. Since 2009, the Competition has been done in collaboration with the Ministry of Education. The students who emerge winners at this competition at National level are selected to represent Sri Lanka at the SEARCC (South East Asia Regional Computer Confederation) International Schools’ Software Competition held in one of the countries within the region. CSSL has been sending students for this competition for the past 16 years and in both 2010 and 2011, Sri Lanka was placed 1st runners at the competition held in India. As the apex body of ICT professionals in Sri Lanka, CSSL has been able to partake in activities and events at both national and international levels gaining more recognition as a professional body for ICT. The Computer Society of Sri Lanka is recognised as a member of IFIP – International Federation for Information Processing. IFIP is the leading multinational, apolitical organisation in ICT recognised by the United Nations and other world bodies. The CSSL is also the Sri Lankan representative in the South East Asia Regional Computer Confederation, the forum of national Information Technology professional societies in the Asia Pacific region. The CSSL is driven by the vision ‘To be to most valued professional society in Sri Lanka’ and accompanied by the mission to become a Value Creator, ICT Frontier and the Voice of the Community. The Computer Society of Sri Lanka is deeply rooted in its values of collaboration, diversity, respect and excellence.