SAQA ID: 48573
NC: Information Technology:
System Support Level 5
Title of Qualification:
SAQA ID: 48573 National Certificate: Information Technology: System Support Level 5
Duration of Qualification:
This programme consists of Fundamental and Elective Unit Standards and will be covered over a period of one year (see breakdown for more information)
Total Number of Credits:151
Entry Requirements
N/A
Module 1 - Logical methodology to troubleshoot the common types of hardware and software problems
Module 2 – The role of technology in the business context
Module 3 – Basic application support skills
Module 4 – Operating system support skills
Module 5 – Network support skills
Module 6 – Business problems and IT solutions
Module 7 – Technical reporting skill
Module 8 – Customer care in the context of IT support
Module 9 – Function in a change management process within a support team
Module 10 – Hardware support skills for server computers
Module 11 – Systems Support contextualised within a selected work area
The qualification may be acquired in the traditional way of formal study as well as in the workplace, through learnerships. Acquiring the qualification through learnerships has the potential of addressing the problems of the past, where newly qualified people getting into the industry struggled to get employment, because they were required to have practical experience. The workplace experience can now be gained while acquiring the qualification through the various learnership schemes that are planning to use this qualification.
A qualifying learner at this level will be a well-rounded IT professional building on foundational technical skills acquired at NQF level 4, via the National Certificate in IT Technical Support or equivalent. This qualification is expanding the specialisation(s) started at NQF level 4 into the core field of networking and support, with further specialisation(s) into IT Support fields or in any other related vertical or enabled markets.
The qualification is designed to:
• Provide qualified learners with an undergraduate entry into the field of networking/systems support, earning credits towards tertiary offerings in the fields of Computer Studies or Computer Science
• Prepare qualified learners for initial employment in the computer industry.
• Allow the credits achieved in the National Certificates relating to Information Technology at NQF level 4 to be used as prior learning for this qualification.
• Allow many of the unit standards listed in this qualification, to be used in Learnership Schemes in the Information Systems and Technology sector, as well as other sectors where Information Technology is a key requirement.
Who is the course intended for?
This qualification has been developed to assist with professionalization across the Information Technology Industry. It is intended to allow qualified learners to gain membership of registered professional bodies in the ICT industry.
Learning assumed to be in place and recognition of prior learning
It is assumed that the learner must be competent in skills gained at the further education and training band. A learning assumption of this qualification is foundational skills in English and Mathematics at NQF level 4. Further learning assumed is the ability to use a personal computer competently. Learners may access this Qualification
in terms of Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), which is subject to quality assurance by the relevant accredited ETQA and is conducted by a registered workplace assessor, subject to the terms of the model decided upon by the relevant ETQA. The qualification is specifically designed to accommodate a broad range of recognition of
prior learning. This intention is reflected in the structure of the qualification and in the rules for combination of credits towards the qualification. The intention is to provide recognition for all the relevant skills which learners already possess and even to provide recognition for skills which might not be relevant to the job through the elective category.
Course Objectives
The successful candidate will be able to achieve the following outcomes:
1. Use a logical methodology to troubleshoot the common types of hardware and software problems typically encountered in the day-to-day operations of a department in an organisation.
2. Understand the role of technology in the business context.
3. Demonstrate basic application support skills
4. Demonstrate operating system support skills
5. Demonstrate network support skills
6. Relate business problems and information technology solutions
7. Demonstrate appropriate technical reporting skills
8. Demonstrate appropriate customer care in the context of IT support
9. Function appropriately in a change management process within a support team
10. Demonstrate hardware support skills for server computers
11. Demonstrate an understanding of Systems Support contextualized within a selected work area
