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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY

REGISTERED QUALIFICATION THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE:

Further Education and Training Certificate: Telecommunication Systems

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
65874	Further Education and Training Certificate: Telecommunication Systems
ORIGINATOR
City Guilds International
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY			NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
MICTS - Media, Information and Communication Technologies Sector Education and Training Authority			OQSF - Occupational Qualifications Sub-framework
QUALIFICATION TYPE	FIELD		SUBFIELD
Further Ed and Training Cert	Field 06 - Manufacturing, Engineering and Technology		Manufacturing and Assembly
ABET BAND	MINIMUM CREDITS	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	QUAL CLASS
Undefined	132	Level 4	NQF Level 04	Regular-Provider-ELOAC
REGISTRATION STATUS		SAQA DECISION NUMBER	REGISTRATION START DATE	REGISTRATION END DATE
Passed the End Date - Status was "Reregistered"		SAQA 06120/18	2018-07-01	2023-06-30
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT		LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2024-06-30		2027-06-30

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.

This qualification does not replace any other qualification and is not replaced by any other qualification.

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION

Purpose:

The purpose of the qualification is to provide learners with the necessary practical skills required to be employed in the telecommunication industry.

Learners who achieve this qualification are able to:

Adopt and maintain safe working practices above and below ground.

Solve mathematical, scientific and associated problems at a technical level.

Demonstrate underpinning mathematical knowledge for communication systems and digital networks.

Apply computer skills effectively in the workplace.

Explain the basic principles of electronics as they are applied to telecommunication systems.

Investigate global and national mobile radio and telephone systems and communication technologies.

Investigate protocols, standards and standards development bodies.

Carry out a statistical survey.

Carry out a pre-installation survey to premises.

Carry out risk assessments to identify risks and prevent hazards.

Accurately test and measure analogue and digital signals.

Install high speed synchronous and wireless networks.

Set up internet data centres.

Use specialist telecoms tools and equipment safely in accordance with national standards.

Rationale:

This qualification has been designed for young people who have just left school, or for anyone seeking a career change. It brings together the theoretical and practical elements of telecommunication systems and will provide useful underpinning knowledge for those already employed in the industry at the technician level. Graduates of the programme should be able to obtain employment within the telecommunications industry at technician level in the fields of manufacture, installation, maintenance or operation.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

It is assumed that learners have achieved the equivalent of NQF Level 3 in a formal education environment.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):

The structure of this qualification makes the Recognition of Prior Learning possible. This qualification may therefore be achieved in part or completely through the recognition of prior learning, which includes formal, informal and non-formal learning and work experience. The learner should be thoroughly briefed on the mechanism to be used and support and guidance should be provided. Care should be taken that the mechanism used provides the learner with an opportunity to demonstrate competence and is not so onerous as to prevent learners from taking up the RPL option towards gaining a qualification.

If the learner is able to demonstrate competence in the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes implicit in this qualification the appropriate credits should be assigned to the learner. Recognition of Prior Learning will be done by means of Integrated Assessment as mentioned above.

This Recognition of Prior Learning may allow:

Accelerated access to further learning at this or higher levels on the NQF.

Gaining of credits towards a unit standard.

Obtaining of this qualification in part or in whole.

Access to the Qualification:

There is open access to the qualification. However, it is preferable that learners should acquired language competencies and mathematical literacy competencies at NQF Level 3.

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

QUALIFICATION RULES

This qualification is made up of a combination of learning outcomes from Fundamental, Core and Elective components, totalling 132 credits.

Fundamental 56 credits:

Communication: First Language: 20 credits.

Communication: Second Language: 20 credits.

Mathematical Literacy: 16 credits.

Core 65 credits.

Elective Minimum 11 credits.

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

1. Communicate effectively in two languages within the workplace.

2. Use mathematics in real life situations.

3. Maintain safe working practices within own area of work and ensure all procedures are followed in order to prevent hazards both above and below ground level.

4. Solve mathematical, scientific and associated problems at the technical level and gain the underpinning mathematical knowledge for communication systems and digital networks.

5. Apply information technology including databases, spreadsheets and word processing.

6. Apply electrical and electronic principles to telecommunication systems.

7. Describe the media used for both wired and wireless communications and the properties of the systems used.

8. Describe the operations of simple telecommunication systems using appropriate terminology.

9. Describe optical fibre systems.

10. Describe the principles of radio.

11. Describe mobile radio and cellular telephone systems.

12. Describe the key features of television.

13. Describe the key features of public switched telephone networks (PSTN).

14. Describe digital networks and data communication.

Critical Cross-Field Outcomes:

This qualification addresses all the Critical Cross-Field Outcomes. A learner who obtains this qualification can:

Identify and solve problems in which responses display that responsible decisions using critical and creative thinking have been made.

Work effectively with others as a member of a team, group, organisation, community.

Organise and manage oneself and one`s activities responsibly and effectively.

Collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information.

Communicate effectively, using visual, mathematical and/or language skills in the modes of oral and/or written presentation.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit level Outcome 1:

Use the writing process to compose various reports and texts required within the workplace.

Read and interpret various texts with understanding.

Maintain and adapt oral communication as required.

Use appropriate communication skills within the workplace.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit level Outcome 2:

Use mathematical functions correctly to solve routine problems and tasks within the workplace.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit level Outcome 3:

Carry out basic first-aid treatments in simulated conditions.

Select correct equipment and carry out basic fire-fighting techniques in simulated conditions.

Participate in emergency procedures.

Select and use protective clothing and equipment appropriate for the task.

Apply good working practices at all times.

Carry out risk assessments as applicable to the task and prepare a report identifying potential hazards.

State the names, and locations, of people responsible for health and safety in the workplace.

State the names and locations of documents that refer to health and safety in the workplace.

State activities for a job role that could be harmful to the worker or to others.

State methods of accident prevention for a specific job role.

State the locations of health and safety equipment in the workplace.

Report a risk and a simulated accident to the correct person responsible for health and safety in the workplace at the correct time.

Select and use protective clothing and equipment for a specific job role.

Use good housekeeping practices at all times for a specific job role.

Use correct health and safety procedures to demonstrate, under observation by a qualified supervisor, all the activities for a job role which could be harmful to the worker or to others observing correct health and safety procedures.

State to a qualified supervisor the specific actions taken to reduce risk and accident whilst demonstrating activities.

Walk to and/or retrieve as appropriate health and safety equipment in the workplace.

Participate in emergency procedures.

Demonstrate the correct use of a fire extinguisher.

Demonstrate basic first-aid procedures relevant to the job role or call qualified first aider to location of accident.

Complete an accident report and send the report to the person responsible.

Complete a fault report and send the report to the person responsible.

Use all equipment, powered or hand operated, safely.

Correctly wire appliance plugs.

Use low-level access and lifting equipment safely and in accordance with national standards.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit level Outcome 4:

Conduct a survey and record data by means of a tally chart and produce the results in the form of a frequency table.

Represent the information contained in the frequency table in pictorial form.

Use the arithmetic mean, the mode and the median and calculate their values from the distribution obtained.

Limit any answer to a numerical problem to a reasonable number of significant figures.

Question the validity of any solution to a physical problem and reject an answer that is not feasible.

Estimate the approximate value of arithmetic expressions.

Use an electronic calculator to add, subtract, divide and multiply a sequence of numbers.

Use an electronic calculator to find powers, roots reciprocals and logarithms of given numbers.

Use an electronic calculator to find sines, cosines and tangents of given angles and use the inverse function to find the angle when given the corresponding sine/cosine/tangent.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit level Outcome 5:

Select a suitable software application for a given task (word processing, database and spreadsheet).

Use word processing, database and spreadsheet applications correctly to load, create, save, change and print various documents.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit level Outcome 6:

Use a tungsten filament lamp, ammeter, voltmeter and variable resistors to demonstrate the effect of temperature on resistance.

Use a voltmeter, ammeter, resistors and a d.c. power supply (or battery) to verify Ohm's law.

Use a voltmeter, ammeter, d.c. power supply (or battery) and combinations of i) resistors in series ii) resistors in parallel to verify the laws for the total circuit resistance for series and parallel combinations of resistors.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit level Outcome 7:

Investigate various forms of media used for the communicating information.

Carry out tests and measurements accurately.

Access sources of reference accurately.

Produce an accurate report.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit level Outcome 8:

State that variation of the amplitude, frequency or phase of a carrier wave can be used to convey information.

Identify how sound waves are converted into electrical signals by means of a transducer (e.g: Microphone).

Identify how electrical signals are converted into sound waves by means of a transducer (e.g: Earpiece or loudspeaker).

Identify the principles and advantages of central-battery working.

Calculate, in dBs and as a power ratio, the overall gain and/or attenuation of simple systems given the gain/attenuation of the individual stages.

Explain that semiconductor devices such as transistors, and/or linear integrated circuits, can be used as amplifiers and oscillators in radio transmitters and receivers.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit level Outcome 9:

State the advantages and disadvantages of optical fibre compared to copper.

Identify the component parts of an optical fibre used in communication systems.

Distinguish between the following types of optical fibre: single-mode, multimode, graded-index and stepped-index.

State that the most commonly used wavelengths for optical line systems are 850nm, 1300nm, and 1550nm.

State that the most commonly used transmitting devices are light emitting diodes (LED) and the semiconductor laser diodes (SLD).

Distinguish between the basic properties of the LED and the SLD.

State the safe working practices when working with optical fibre and semiconductor laser diodes.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit level Outcome 10:

Describe the principles involved when transmitting and receiving radio signals.

Explain how electromagnetic radio waves are propagated and the systems involved in the transmission and reception of radio signals.

Describe the essential stages of radio transmitter and receivers and explain the basic principles of operation.

Investigate a given range of factors and terms relating to modulation and determine the effects of noise and interference on amplitude and frequency-modulated signals.

Carry out tests and measurements accurately.

Investigate modulation techniques in practical applications of broadcasting.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit level Outcome 11:

Describe the basic principles and concepts involved in mobile radio and cellular telephone systems.

Describe the properties and applications of mobile radio and cellular telephone systems.

Investigate the range of mobile radio and mobile phone systems available.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit level Outcome 12:

Describe the systems required when information is to be transmitted in a video format.

Describe the basic principle of operation of the cathode ray tube (c.r.t.).

Explain the basic principles of operation of a monochrome (black-and-white) television broadcast system.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit level Outcome 13:

Describe the basic concepts of signalling, switching and transmission before considering new technologies.

Describe the process of analogue-to-digital conversion.

Describe the plesiochronous digital hierarchy (PDH) for multiplexing as a basis for understanding the synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH) used for the high speed networks.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit level Outcome 14:

Describe the basic principles involved with conveying information in a digital format and the characteristics of data communication in order to gain an appreciation of modern high-speed multi-media networks.

Describe the basic principles of operation of digital networks and data communication.

Describe the various switching methods employed, protocols and hardware used and the characteristics of local, metropolitan and wide area data networks (LANs, MANs and WANs).

Investigate the various standards used for telecommunications and digital networks.

Investigate the various protocols used for telecommunications and digital networks.

Integrated Assessment:

Integrated assessment appropriately incorporated to ensure that the purpose of the qualification is achieved.

Assessment practices must be open, transparent, fair, valid, and reliable and ensure that no learner is disadvantaged in any way whatsoever.

This qualification is comprised of the following:

Practical competences: What a candidate must be able to do.

Knowledge requirements: What a candidate must know.

There are several ways in which these can be assessed:

Practical:

Assessors may be required to use different assessment methods:

Competence checklist: Observation of performance.

Competence checklist: Appraisal of a product.

Practical assignment.

Knowledge requirements:

Learners will be required to take tests to show that they meet the knowledge requirements.

These assessments can take the following forms:

Written tests: Multiple choice.

Written tests: Short, structured questions.

Learning, teaching and assessment are inextricably interwoven. Whenever possible, the assessment of knowledge, skills, attitudes and values shown in the modules will be integrated.

Assessment of communication, language, literacy and numeracy should be integrated as far as possible with other aspects and should use practical contexts wherever possible.

Where it is not possible to assess the learner in the workplace or on-the-job, simulations, case studies, role-plays and other similar techniques such as realistic working environment including real work timescales and pressures should be used to provide a context appropriate to the assessment.

During integrated assessments the assessor should make use of formative and summative assessment methods and assess combinations of practical, applied, foundational and reflexive competencies.

All learners are required to complete an externally set and marked international examination in order to achieve the qualification.

Assessment should ensure that all outcomes and critical cross-field outcomes are evaluated.

INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY

The International Vocational Qualification (IVQ) Technician Certificate in Telecommunication Systems has been benchmarked against international standards and qualifications, including those of the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, France and Germany, in order to establish comparability to levels of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) of England, Wales and Northern Ireland and UK National Occupational Standards (NOS):

City & Guilds IVQ; NQF (1) Level; NOS (2):

Technician Certificate; Level 2; Trainee Technician.

(1) National Qualifications Framework of England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

(2) UK National Occupational Standards (NOS).

According to the 'Rough Guide to Comparing Qualifications in the UK and Ireland' published by the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI) and the four UK regulators (Qualifications Curriculum Authority (QCA) - now called the Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulator (Ofqual), the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), the Qualifications, Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales (ACCAC) and the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment in Northern Ireland (CCEA)), the IVQ Technician Certificate in Telecommunication Systems is comparable to the following levels:

City & Guilds IVQ; NQF; NFQ (3); SCQF (4):

Technician Certificate; Level 2; Level 4; Level 5.

(3) The National Framework of Qualifications for Ireland (NFQ).

(4) Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework.

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

This qualification allows for both horizontal and vertical articulation:

Vertical articulation can occur by embarking on the study of related NQF Level 5 qualifications within the telecommunication sector.

Horizontal articulation can occur with qualifications on NQF Level 4.

MODERATION OPTIONS

Anyone assessing a learner or moderating the assessment of a learner against this qualification must be registered and appointed by the provider according to existing moderation guidelines of the FETQC/HEQC or relevant ETQA/SETA.

Any institution offering learning of this qualification must be accredited as a provider with the relevant ETQA/SETA.

Assessment and moderation of assessment will be overseen by City & Guilds and relevant ETQA.

Moderation should also validate the achievement of competencies and assessment processes as described in exit level outcomes and integrated assessment options as described in the qualification.

CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS

For an applicant to register as an assessor, the applicant needs:

Interpersonal skills, subject matter expertise and assessment experience.

To be competent in the planning and conducting of assessment of learning outcomes.

The subject matter experience must be well developed within the relevant field and subfield practices.

The assessor must have completed:

A similar qualification or from the same family of qualifications, at or above the level of the qualification.

Minimum of two years relevant experience.

The subject matter experience of the assessor can be established by recognition of prior learning.

Assessors need to be registered with the relevant Education and Training Quality Assurance Body.

REREGISTRATION HISTORY

As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this qualification was Reregistered in 2009; 2012; 2015.

NOTES

The IVQ Technician Certificate in Telecommunication Systems (2730) is aligned to the Further Education and Training Certificate: Telecommunication Network Operations (SAQA ID 59057).

LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS QUALIFICATION:

NONE

PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS QUALIFICATION:

This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.

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