The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport, having recognised the need for technology to enhance its work, says the adoption of the International Computer Driving Licence (ICDL) over three years ago is reaping benefits. More than 700 employees have attended the ICDL training course, 220 of which have successfully completed their ICDL qualification. Obtaining the ICDL certification is not trivial - candidates have to pass all seven modules with a 75% pass mark.
In February 2006, T^2, the official training centre for the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport, became a registered ICDL training, testing and certification centre. The centre has two full-time trainers and examiners who run courses throughout the year.
In order to expand the programme and reach employees who had difficulty in getting to Pietermaritzburg, T^2, together with the ICDL South Africa, has set up and accredited mobile training and testing facilities that take training to each of the four regional offices on a rotational basis. There are currently seven accredited testing centres at the Department of Transport offices throughout KZN.
“IT literacy has become an essential criterion in business today. By equipping our staff with computer and Internet skills and setting the ICDL as a benchmark for digital literacy, we believe they will be able to take advantage of modern technology to enhance their job functions,” said Renita Madhan of the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport.
T^2 examiners and trainers are nearing completion of the ICDL Advanced Modules, in order to register the centre as an ICDL Advanced Testing and Training Centre. Full compliancy is due to happen in August this year.
“We are continually receiving positive feedback from students and supervisors who comment on how the ICDL has helped them perform tasks more efficiently,” says Madhan.
One staff member who used to spend five days completing her month-end reports manually, now only spends 10 minutes a day inputting figures into an Excel spreadsheet, one of the modules taught in the ICDL programme. “Final figures are added automatically, assisting me to balance my books correctly,” she said.
Jennifer van Niekerk, chief executive officer of the ICDL in South Africa, said this initiative taken up by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport sets a great example to other provincial departments not only in KwaZulu-Natal, but in other provinces too. She said if more people made use of the ICDL programme, their IT proficiency levels would be raised; they would have increased confidence in ICT use; improve their job opportunities; as well as provide themselves with an internationally-recognised qualification.
The ICDL programme is not a 'training course', but rather a capability yardstick that is recognised through testing. The ICDL is an online computer assessment, which shows that you can use different IT programs. All ICDL testing is automated, carried out on a personal computer (PC) and provides the candidate with instant marks. As the test for each module is passed, an Accredited Test Centre will sign off that particular module in a logbook.
The ICDL programme comprises seven modules - concepts of information technology; using a computer and managing files; word processing; spreadsheets; database; presentations; and information and communications.
The European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL) Foundation, the global accreditation body for the International Computer Driving Licence, recently celebrated issuing its nine millionth logbook at a ceremony in Brussels. A logbook is the first step in obtaining the internationally recognised ICDL certification.
The ICDL in South Africa is a non-profit organisation established to promote digital literacy to all and to administer the global quality standard in end-user computing.
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