Stepping UP - Free ICT Training
Stepping UP Information
What exactly is Stepping UP?
Stepping UP is an exciting programme that helps you take your computer skills to the next level using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) at work and at home. Stepping UP provides free, community-based computer and internet training for adults as a follow up to the successful Computers in Homes Rorohiko l roto nga Kainga programme. It’s designed to give anyone with basic computer knowledge the opportunity to develop their skills a step further in areas of direct relevance to their work and life.
Step up your skills – and your future
Stepping UP helps you to take the next step in learning how to use computers and the Internet effectively – whether it’s for a promotion, a new job, tertiary education or helping your kids with school projects. The best thing is you learn what you want to learn – from advancing your Microsoft Office skills to editing a video, finding a cheap airfare to managing finances. It’s a great way to improve your confidence and skills for work as well as for everyday life.
Four simple steps to success
All you need to do is choose four Digital Steps. Each step takes 2.5 hours to complete, and once you’ve completed four, you’ll receive a Stepping UP certificate (as well as the satisfaction of knowing what you’ve achieved). You choose the Digital Steps that will help you to get the best out of ICT in your work or at home.
Why was Stepping UP initiated?
Stepping UP is an ICT training programme initiated by the 20/20 Communications Trust. The programme is targetted at parents who have graduated from Computers in Homes and others in their communities, encouraging them to ‘step up’ to further learning opportunities and enhanced job opportunities.
The goal is to provide training to 4800 people in eight Computers in Homes communities over a three year period (1000 in year 1, 1600 in year 2 and 2200 in year 3). 20% of these people are expected to come from families who have completed the Computers in Homes programme.
The other 80% will be people from the same communities who are seeking to increase their ICT skills or make better use of ICT in their workplaces. At least 10% of all these people are expected to further step up to more formal tertiary education training.
The Stepping UP curriculum is sufficiently flexible to meet the specific needs of people in local communities who are seeking to up-skill with ICTs but do not have the opportunity to participate in formal tertiary education programmes. The programme focuses on three ways for participants to improve their work skills:
Digital Literacy
Creating confident users of ICT. This is the first step beyond Computers in Homes which aims to increase confidence in managing ICT as a tool. Programmes such as Positive Computing for Parents developed by the 2020 Communications Trust and those developed by the Internet Safety Group are two examples. Microsoft’s Digital Literacy curriculum could also be offered. Those seeking recognition for training undertaken could then step up to the globally recognised International Computer Driving Licence (ICDL) or the Internet & Computing Core Certification (IC3) assessment tools.
Job Skills
Creating more productive workers. The focus of these programmes will be on using ICTs more effectively in work situations. This could cover areas such as accounting, publishing, presentations, direct mailing, project management, digital media, database development, web publishing.
ICT Skills
Creating pathways to jobs in the ICT industry. The focus is on building higher level skills for people interested in pursuing careers in ICT. There is a shortage of people with the skills necessary to support our society’s rapidly expanding use of ICTs. We need more programmers, more engineers and more technicians. The programmes offered would be a stepping stone towards formal tertiary qualifications such as Level 2 - 4 Certificates in Computing, offered by many polytechnics and institutes of technology, or industry recognised qualifications such as the Cisco CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) or Microsoft Certifications (Technology and Business).
