Hardware and Networking | Oldham College

What will I learn on my apprenticeship?

Level 2 - Intermediate Apprenticeship in IT Professional (Hardware/Software)

Level 3 - Advanced Apprenticeship in Infrastructure Technician

Level 3 - Advanced Apprenticeship in IT & Telecoms Professional (Hardware/Software)

Level 4 - Higher Apprenticeship in Network Engineer

The primary role of an Infrastructure Technician is to provide IT support to internal and external customers. Infrastructure technicians help them to do their jobs, by using tools to solve problems and troubleshoot unusual issues.

In this role, you will set people up on IT systems and provide support when they need it, rectifying issues to maintain productivity. It may mean dealing with customers and colleagues in today's work environment, where everything needs to be synced with a computer network and working correctly, from a smartphone to a department's Cloud-hosted files. You will need to interact professionally at all times and be able to explain how to fix technical problems in a clear manner.

This Apprenticeship will give you an excellent grounding in IT, arming you with the knowledge of how to fix issues with a number of IT systems, hardware and software.

You will develop an understanding of a range of cabling and connectivity as well as the various types of antennas and wireless system used within a system.

You will also get to grips with the similarities, differences and benefits of the current operating systems that are available to businesses, learn how to implement disaster recovery plans and become familiar with coding and logic.

How will I be assessed?

Technical knowledge and understanding are assessed on this programme through a combination of Ofqual-regulated modules, and specified vendor and professional qualifications. These must be passed before the end point assessment (EPA) can take place.

The EPA is completed in the last few months of the Apprenticeship. It is based on:

A Portfolio, which is a showcase of the learner's work and is developed towards the last few months. This aims to show the wide range of skills and knowledge that have been developed.
A Project - giving the apprentice the opportunity to undertake a business-related project over a one-week period away from the day-to-day workplace.
Employer Reference.
A Structured Interview with an assessor, exploring what has been produced in the portfolio and the project as well as looking at how it has been produced.

What will my apprenticeship lead to?

Apprenticeships are a key entry point to the significant career opportunities within the Digital industry. The Register of IT Technicians, managed by BCS, provides independent recognition that completing an Apprenticeship is the beginning of a career in IT.

Once completing this Apprenticeship, learners will be eligible to apply for a place on the independent Register of IT Technicians, showing their competence in applying technical skills in a business environment whilst signing up to a professional code of conduct and behaviours. This confirms Skill Framework for the Information Age (SFIA) professional competence. A place on the Register acknowledges that those achieving these standards have joined the professional community, and opens the door to the continued support, career development and guidance that professional bodies provide.

Professional body involvement and recognition in the development of the standards and the approach to assessment is a further independent check on quality assurance both for the individual and the Apprenticeship itself.

Cost of my apprenticeship

Contribution Rules

16-18 Where the employer has under 50 employees and they are not a levy paying employer the learner is fully funded by the government, this rule also applies to 19-24 year old who are Care Leavers or in possession of an Educational Healthcare Plan
16-18 Where the employer has 50 or more employees and they are not a levy payer there will be a 5% charge with the government paying the remaining 95%. The 5% contribution will be invoiced as per the table above.
16-18 Where the employer is a levy payer, 100% of the funding will be claimed from their digital account on a monthly basis where the payments are scheduled according to the length of the learner's programme
19+ All employers that are not a levy payers there will be a 5% charge with the government paying the remaining 95%. The 5% contribution will be invoiced as per the table above.
19+ Where the employer is a levy payer, 100% of the funding will be claimed from their digital account on a monthly basis where the payments are scheduled according to the length of the learner's programme

Incentives

16-18 The employer will receive £1,000 incentive, 50% at 90 days following enrolment and 50% at 365 days following enrolment assuming the student is still employed and active on the Apprenticeship. The employer will need to invoice the college for this at that time and confirm their eligibility to make the claims at that point. This applies to Apprenticeship Frameworks only and not new Standards.
19-24 Where an employer has an Apprentice under the age of 25 where their earnings are below £43,000 per year the employer does not have to pay National Insurance Contributions (NIC's). Correct at the time of publication, check the HMRC section on gov.uk website

How to apply

You can apply for this programme via the Apply Now button, at the top.

If this course area is available as an apprenticeship, this will show under 'Study Option' on the right-hand side, just below the Apply Now button. You can view all of our apprenticeship vacanices and subjects by clicking the 'Apprenticeships' in the top menu.