National Certificate: Information Technology (Systems Development) LEVEL 5- SAQA- 48872- 131 CREDITS

The purpose of this qualification is to enhance readiness and provide entry into the areas of Systems Development at NQF level 5. It prepares learners for entry into the workplace or as undergraduate study in the Systems Development areas covered, providing them with the necessary knowledge needed for further study in the fields of Information Technology and Computer Sciences at Higher Education level.

The qualification is addressing the need in the workplace for nationally recognised qualifications, based on unit standards, that will allow people with workplace experience in the Systems Development areas covered, to request assessments and get recognition for prior learning.

A qualifying learner will be able to communicate effectively with fellow IT staff & users of information technology, understanding the role of technology in a business context and to be able to address business problems with appropriate information technology solutions. Learners will be able to apply the principles of creating computer software by carrying out, under limited supervision, a task of reasonable size to demonstrate an understanding of the knowledge, techniques & skills needed in one or more area of majoring/specialisation that the qualification offers.

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 Development or equivalent. This qualification is expanding the systems development foundation started at NQF level 4 into specialisation fields within systems development, in one or more of the following disciplines:

• Procedural Programming.
• Object Oriented Programming.
• Fourth Generation Language Programming.
• Web site development.
• Multimedia.

  The qualification is designed to:

• Provide qualified learners with an undergraduate entry into the fields of Information Communication Technology (ICT) and Computer Sciences, specialising in the Systems Development area

• Prepare qualified learners for initial employment into the ICT and related industries. Qualified learners will have a solid understanding of computer industry concepts and to able to work in areas of Systems Development with intermediate technical complexity.
• Allow the credits achieved in National Certificates relating to Information Technology at NQF level 4 to be used as prior learning for this qualification, where applicable.
• Allow people with workplace experience in the Systems Development areas covered, to request assessments and get recognition for prior learning.
• Allow the qualification to be acquired in the traditional way of formal study as well as in the workplace, through Learnerships Schemes or Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).
• Assist with professionalisation across the Information Technology Sector. It is intended to allow qualified learners to gain membership of registered professional bodies in the ICT industry.