Co-ordinated introduction of new qualifications
Global software company Adobe is a world leader in digital content tools for PC and Apple platforms, covering film, photography, design and illustration.
In May 2007 Adobe launched a new programme of entry level ‘Certified Associate’ awards, developed and deployed by Certiport. These awards focus on Adobe’s popular Dreamweaver, Photoshop and Flash products. The new certifications recognise that the workplace demand for digital media skills – planning, designing, building and maintaining effective communications using different forms of digital media - is on the rise. The Certified Associate programme is designed to help educators teach and validate digital communication skills and provide students with credentials that demonstrate practical skills to employers.
Digital 2010 identified the Adobe awards as fundamental to next generation user skills in the workplace, in colleges, in schools and more broadly in our communities. With input from the Digital 2010 Higher Level Skills Group, Yorkshire Forward has allocated funding to pump prime the Awards’ introduction across the regional education and training sectors so that the region can be ahead of the game in adopting these vital qualifications.
A partnership led by Leeds Metropolitan and Sheffield Hallam Universities is providing training in the awards to teachers and students in a variety of locations. Between January and March of 2008, the partnership had already trained more than 100 teachers and lecturers and more than 200 students. Such is the interest generated by the initiative, there is now a waiting list of people wishing to train. A key aim of the project is to work with the Sector Skills Councils and the qualifications Awarding Bodies to make the case for the Awards to be embedded in mainstream qualifications which can be funded by the Learning and Skills Council, thus allowing many more people to take the Awards.
This exciting initiative is attracting attention from all over the world, as Yorkshire and the Humber is the only region taking a co-ordinated approach to introducing these qualifications.
Contact details:
John Popham, Sero Consulting
Sheffield Technology Park
Cooper Buildings
Arundel Street
Sheffield
S1 2NS
T: 0114 221 6006
