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Written by Tony Phelps
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Thursday, 17 November 2005 |
It is no accident that one of the fastest-growing international
computer qualifications is called the “International Computer Driving
Licence”. Just like anyone can drive a car, anyone can use a computer –
but if you want to drive properly, you need training, and if you want
to prove that you are capable of driving properly, you need a
qualification.
The International Computer Driving Licence (ICDL) is recognized in more
than 140 countries including Vanuatu (according to the ICDL Asia
Pacific website), and similar to a vehicle driving licence it is a
statement of competency - it demonstrates that you have a basic ability
in certain skills. The ICDL is not a training course, any more than a
car driving licence is a training course, but naturally there are
courses that are directly tied to the requirements of the licence.
The ICDL is meant for both business IT users and home IT users. For the
business, ICDL-qualified staff help to reduce support costs because
they know how to do most day-to-day computer tasks plus it helps the
business deliver service to customers more smoothly, efficiently, and
effectively. For the home user, ICDL makes sure they can effectively
use their computer to do whatever it is they want to do without having
to waste time and money working things out the hard way (or of course,
not getting things to work at all).
The ICDL syllabus actually covers a lot of subjects, some of which may
not be necessary to some people. Nonetheless, it gives a background
familiarity when using services that depend on these subjects eg.
databases. There are seven modules ;
• Basic concepts of Information Technology
• Using the computer and managing files
• Word processing
• Spreadsheets
• Database
• Presentation
• Information and communication
If nothing else, take note of the increasing popularity of this
qualification in other parts of the world and make sure you have an
understanding of what each module above is related to. The car driving
licence came about to make sure that people are safe to drive big, fast
and heavy machines on public roads. The ICDL makes it ‘safe’ for people
to drive your expensive business machines or for you safely get the
most out of your home computer. See the ICDL Asia Pacific website www.icdlap.com if you would like more information.
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