Getting an ECDL qualification

shellnapier

you could just go do the test and not acutlly have to sit thorugh all the course just do teh tests i did this...

LittleVoice

Bismarck wrote: »

just wondering if the current ECDL is the most relevant for an NHS job after all. OK if they put it as a requirement but if the current ECDL is based a lot on Office 2007, is that what the NHS trusts use?

ECDL doesn't have to be based on Office (2007 or earlier). The NHS is using a lot of MS applications and gradually moving to Office 2007.

LittleVoice

dmg24 wrote: »

Many NHS Trusts offer ECDL training to their current staff, so I doubt they will be dropping reference to it quite just yet!

They certainly used to. Back in 2001 they were moving to have it as the standard for anyone who needed to use a computer in their work - not for IT specialist but normal office/ward people.

However, the funding has changed, I believe, and, as noted in one of my previous posts in this thread, the move is to the iTQ.

However, HR is separate from L&D and people who write the job descriptions and person specs don't necessarily keep up to date with the qualifications. As I said, ECDL will almost certainly not be an Essential but rather a Desirable.

MadDogWoman_2

I've just registered to the the ECDL qualification, despite having

NVQ 3 Business Admin, RSA 3 in Word Processing and 16 years working with computers.

Saying that I am completely self taught when it comes to MS office so it really is helping filling in the remaining gaps - use and CBT with past employers.

I'm doing all my study at home with a 2 hour self-study session with tutors available a week.

Have a look at https://www.teach-ict.com, that covers the whole course with exercises to complete.

Your local library will probably have coursebooks - cheaper than buying

There are different versions of the ECDL to cover the differences in the MS packages. 4.0 is Windows XP (Word 2003 etc) but 4.5 covers Office 2007.

There is also the ECDL advanced which is more in-depth, it concentrates on Wordprocessing, Spreadsheets, Databases and Presentations.

HTH

MDW

LittleVoice

MadDogWoman wrote: »

There is also the ECDL advanced which is more in-depth, it concentrates on Wordprocessing, Spreadsheets, Databases and Presentations.

Good reminder from MDW - good luck with your tests BTW).

The Advanced ECDLs are separately certificated modules. (And then can be combined for "group" certificates too.)

So if someone wanted to get ECDL on their CV (in order to be picked up by a quick search by a recruiter), they could do, for example, Advanced Database.

When I last looked at this, the problem was more in finding places which actually offered the Advanced ECDL except in Word Processing. Spreadsheet is the next most common and then Presentations. (They didn't introduce all of the Advanced modules at the same time, so this partly explains the difference - another being the prevalence of particular types of applications and the construction of databases is not so widely used by general office staff.)

Ballymackeonan

I had already been using MS Office applications at a pretty high level (and self-taught) before I did my ECDL a number of years ago, and was lucky that I knew the director of a local company which offered training. They let me do all the tests over 2 afternoons, after a weekend with a textbook to fill in the gaps - mostly the most basic things as I'd missed first principles!

I agree about the difficulty of finding any provides of advanced modules - especially databases! I'm self-employed, so qualifications are less of an issue, as most of the work I get now is by recommendation from existing clients, but I'd like to take this area further.

RobTang

I reckon they like to downplay the database modules because of the number of problems it causes.

Its such a massive security liability, say some (medical) consultant or their PAs decides to make an access database to keep track of patient information, they tend keep these files on laptops and USB keys... they then they loose them or they get stolen and then you've got tons of sensitive information floating about, plus you've lost all your data.

And thats assuming the database was made correctly in the first place.
please please leave database creation to the experts.

Bismarck

hmmm...fair point....a little knowledge is a dangerous thing! especially these days.

LittleVoice

RobTang wrote: »

I reckon they like to downplay the database modules because of the number of problems it causes.

Its such a massive security liability, say some (medical) consultant or their PAs decides to make an access database to keep track of patient information, they tend keep these files on laptops and USB keys... they then they loose them or they get stolen and then you've got tons of sensitive information floating about, plus you've lost all your data.

And thats assuming the database was made correctly in the first place.
please please leave database creation to the experts.

First - the NHS has tight Information Security in place. People know not to store confidential data on laptops or removable devices unless the data is properly encrypted.

Second - the NHS does have databases to deal with patient information securely!

Third - an "expert" in database creation isn't born into this world fully formed, they have to be novices first.

Fourth - unfortunately a lot of people are wary of using databases (perhaps because they have been told you have to be an expert to even set up a table) and so use what they know - Excel spreadsheets - when they want to process data. And so they do it - less efficiently than using a proper database application. (And I don't want to get into a discussion about whether Access qualifies!)

MadDogWoman_2

The advanced books should also be available at your local library, I'm just waiting for Advanced Spreadsheets now.

MDW