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Foundation & Operative

Training Description
MISD Foundation & Operative Certificate

Description

 ‘Mastering IT Support Delivery’ Curriculum
Career Level 1, Foundation & Operative Certificate
Course code MISD-FOC

Introduction

 This qualification covers the terminology, concepts, and practices applicable to the Foundation & Operative primary study level in the programme ‘Mastering IT Support Delivery’.

The training’s purpose is to provide the student with guidance in basic professionalism in IT Support, including attitude, role comprehension, approach, technique, and conduct. A core focus here is the business imperative that creates the need for IT Support; how that need supersedes technological considerations and influences everything in IT Support from priority-setting to how the support service should be structured and delivered.

This is essentially how to understand and do the job of an IT Support operative in first or second line, production or development IT, user or systems support, internal or external users.

Qualification Gained

 MISD Foundation & Operative Certificate

Delivery

 Classroom of no more than 16 attendees, led by qualified, expert tutor. Interactive engagement of scripted topics and associated quizzes, culminating in written examination

Duration

 2 consecutive days

Materials Provided

 Copies of slides and associated text

Learning Objectives

 Successful candidates should be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding and application of IT Support principles and techniques in the following areas:

  • ICT industry terms and concepts pertinent to the IT Support sector, their meaning and use; to include specialist IT Support considerations in addition to, and expanding on existing de facto IT industry vocabulary
  • Key IT Support procedures and workflow
  • The true purpose of IT Support, which has a business basis, as opposed to a technical one, and how that reality dictates the whole of how the sector should conduct itself, including departmental structure in addition to workload allocation and prioritisation.
  • Building, maintaining and conducting an effective working partnership with managers and other superiors, including the key concepts of differences of perspective and mutual expectations. Understanding what your manager is there for, and why the sometimes has to make decisions that are not always popular
  • Understanding ‘teamwork’, and how your individual skillset relates to, and often must supersede it
  • A practical grasp of customer service from a technician’s perspective – how to deliver excellent service by using your own personality and professionalism, not requiring scripts and pretence
  • A pragmatic approach to handling stress in the workplace as part of self-motivation and personal success

Where to get qualification

Who Should Attend

 Primarily, entry-level and operational IT staff from any IT department where IT support resolutions are part of the typical workload, especially where that work comprises interaction with end users and corporate authorities. So not necessarily limited to classic front-end IT Support workers, but will also involve development and systems support.

Also, ideally all candidates for any other management-level MISD certificate, so that managers can know at first hand what their operatives have been taught.

Organisational Benefits
  • Business understanding for technicians
  • Professionalism
  • Practice
  • Universality

The core purpose of the MISD curriculum is to professionalize IT support so that the business receives consistent, rapid resolutions to arising production IT issues; thus those issues’ detrimental effect to the business is minimised.

For consistency, read universality – a support resolution can and does come from anywhere in IT, not just the obvious front line ‘Service Desk’ – so a professional approach to IT Support must be universal. This qualification inculcates that professionalism into potentially all IT Support staff, regardless of their core function. It provides for all IT staff having the same, business-oriented view of IT Support and their role in it.

Professional staff are easier to engage and to manage from the point of view of professional managers; but this qualification cuts both ways, as it also teaches those staff to expect a similar level of professionalism from their superiors.

The ‘Foundation and Operative qualification is about how to contribute efficiently and effectively to IT Support delivery, so as to provide a solid platform for that professionalism.

Individual Benefits

 This qualification has been designed by one of the world’s leading experts in this field; one who originated much of what we now think of as IT Support. The material is practical, proven and based on a powerful principle – that job satisfaction in IT Support is crucial.

This course not only instructs in how to do your job competently and professionally but also how to get the best out of it for yourself. This is why it shows how to handle stress and how to work for your manager, even if your manager is not so good at managing you.

In addition, you gain a portable qualification in a programme that spans the whole of IT, not just the Service Desk, leading to further qualifications should you choose to take a managerial route through your career.

This programme is not just for technicians – it is equally applicable to anybody who performs any function in IT that ultimately leads to the delivery of IT support for users and systems.

Prerequisites

 None

Optional Prereading

 Illian, Victor – ‘The Successful Employee: Proven, Practical Methods to Advance Your Career’ – ISBN-10: 1975749383

Examination Format
  • In classroom invigilated by tutor
  • 40 multiple choice questions over maximum of 80 minutes
  • Pass mark 28/40 (70%)
  • Results within 2 weeks; examiner’s decision is final
  • In case of failure, 2 maximum examination retakes; thereafter, examination opportunities require entire course retake

Next Steps

 MISD Career Level 2, Aspiring Manager Certificate