Summary
As a trainee, you will work in an established team and support application operations engineers in their daily work, under their direction.
Background
| Description | Background |
|---|---|
| Demonstrates good oral and written communication skills. Has a rudimentary knowledge of the software and hardware platforms on which the applications run; understands the business environment in which they operate. Has some knowledge of the information systems development processes relevant to the role and the applications to be supported. | Prior Knowledge and Skills |
Work Activity Components
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Application support requests (ASUP) (Level 2) | Receives and logs requests for application support from the service desk, developers, other specialist areas and/or users, in accordance with agreed procedures. |
| Implementation and controls (IRMG)(Level 4) | Ensures implementation of information, and records management policies and standard practice, ensuring that information is protected, available and accessible, and can be retrieved as required. Complies with all relevant information and data security policies and procedures. |
| Performance monitoring and improvement (ASUP) (Level 2) | Under direction (and in accordance with agreed procedures) assists in monitoring applications and collecting agreed performance statistics. May assist in capturing user feedback for subsequent analysis. |
| Application maintenance (ASUP) (Level 2) | Working closely with more senior colleagues (and in accordance with agreed procedures) assists with specified routine maintenance procedures. This may include making modifications to system parameters, devising permanent or temporary corrections and workarounds or site-specific enhancements, reconfiguring systems, maintaining application data, providing guidance or training to users or operations staff, and creating or updating documentation. Ensures all work is carried out and documented in accordance with required standards, methods and procedures. |
| Request progress (ASUP) (Level 2) | Monitors the progress of requests for application support and keeps users and other interested parties are informed. |
Behavioural Skills
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Analytical Thinking | Acquiring a proper understanding of a problem or situation by breaking it down systematically into its component parts and identifying the relationships between these parts. Selecting the appropriate method/tool to resolve the problem and reflecting critically on the result, so that what is learnt is identified and assimilated. |
| Information Acquisition | Identifying gaps in the available information required to understand a problem or situation and devising a means of resolving them. |
| Attention to Detail | Applying specific quality standards to all tasks undertaken to ensure that deliverables are accurate and complete. |
| Verbal Expression | Communicating effectively using the spoken word. |
| Written Expression | Communicating effectively in writing, such as reports and via emails. |
| Teamwork | Working collaboratively with others to achieve a common goal. |
Technical Skills
| Title | Details | Depth |
|---|---|---|
| Application Systems | Technical or functional understanding of Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) applications and/or other bespoke software deployed within the organisation in order to provide system configuration, audit, technical, and/or functional support. | Familiar with |
| Application Development Tools | Software tools which automate or assist part of the development process. | Aware of |
| Configuration Management | The discipline that gives precise control over IT assets and components by recording and maintaining information about the 'configuration items', including hardware devices, computer programs, software licences, documentation, network devices, and data centre facilities (virtualised and static). | Aware of |
| Information Retrieval Tools | The application of automated (software) tools that enable selective access to information, or extraction of patterns and knowledge from large amount of data, typically held within some form of database or data warehouse. Also referred to as Data Mining. | Aware of |
| Operating Systems | System software that controls activities such as input, output, dynamic resource allocation, and error reporting, within the operation of a computer configuration. | Familiar with |
| Programming Languages | A set of codes and syntax (supported by software tools) that enables the unambiguous translation of specified functionality into source code for the creation of computer programs. | Aware of |
| Operational/Service Architecture | Knowledge of the IT/IS infrastructure and the IT applications and service processes used within own organisation, including those associated with sustainability and efficiency. | Aware of |
| Development Approach | Understanding and application of different development approaches e.g. iterative/ incremental methodologies (Agile, XP, TDD, SCRUM) or traditional sequential methodologies (Waterfall or V-Model). Irrespective of development methodology a DevOps approach may also be taken where development and operational staff work collaboratively. | Aware of |
| Infrastructure/System Security | The security threats and vulnerabilities that impact and/or emanate from system hardware, software and other infrastructure components, and relevant strategies, controls and activities to prevent, mitigate, detect and resolve security incidents affecting system hardware, software and other infrastructure components. | Aware of |
| DevOps | The collaborative approach consisting of agile practices, processes, and procedures designed to facilitate rapid IT service and product delivery. DevOps emphasizes people (and culture) and seeks to improve collaboration between development (Dev) and operations (Ops) teams with the aim of shortening the systems development life cycle to provide continuous release of high-quality software. | Aware of |
Other Skills
| Title | Details | Depth |
|---|---|---|
| Information Assurance | Information assurance methods, tools and techniques (including the Caldicott Principles) used to protect the integrity, availability, authenticity, non-repudiation and confidentiality of user data and manage the risks related to the use, processing, storage, and transmission of information. | Aware of |
| Customer Service Techniques | Techniques for identifying, gathering and validating customers' needs in the delivery of IT services. | Familiar with |
| Function or Department Operations | The activities, structure, and position in the organisation of the functions or departments for which services are provided. | Familiar with |
| Risk Management | Methods and techniques for the assessment and management of business risk. | Aware of |
| Time Management Techniques | Methods and techniques for making effective use of own time. | Familiar with |
Training
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Design Methods and Tools | Programming or system development methods (e.g. structured program design). |
| Systems Development | Systems development, including development life-cycles and methods, organisation interfaces, typical corporate application architectures, project and programme management, risk management and change control. |
| Software Configuration | Installation, configuration and tuning of applications or systems software. |
| Infrastructure Hardware and System Software | Hardware, communication networks and system software that provides the organisation's IT infrastructure; features of the infrastructure that need to be taken account of in hardware/software installation, with due attention to sustainability impacts e.g. back-up and recovery, virtualisation techniques to optimise efficient energy use of system hardware components, load sharing in communication networks; availability and use of Cloud services. |
| Data Protection and GDPR | Data protection legislation, regulatory framework and compliance, including GDPR (General Data Protection Act). |
| Security Awareness | Tools and techniques to help users and employees understand the role they play in helping to combat information security breaches and for IT and security professionals to prevent and mitigate risk. |
| Health and Safety | Understanding statutory health and safety requirements relating to the working environment and/or the tools and techniques to promote, communicate, implement and maintain a health and safety culture. |
Professional Development Activity (PDA)
| Title | Details | PDA Group |
|---|---|---|
| Participation in Group Activities | Participating in group activities inside or outside of the working environment that can assist with the development of interpersonal skills. | Broadening Activities |
| Job Shadowing and Special Assignments | Undertaking temporary periods or secondments in other roles, particularly those that offer a new perspective on own function or exposure to other environments and cultures. | Broadening Activities |
| Gaining Knowledge of Employing Organisation | Gaining basic knowledge of the employing organisation, its business, structure, culture, policies, products/services, operations and terminology. | Increasing Knowledge |
| Gaining Knowledge of Surrounding Technical Areas | Gaining knowledge of IT activities in employing organisation external to own function. | Increasing Knowledge |
| Involvement in Professional Body Activities | Attending meetings, seminars and workshops organised by professional body and reading published material, such as journals and web content. | Participation in Professional Activities |
| Team Working | Undertaking learning and practice in the techniques of team and collaborative working. Gaining an understanding of the underlying concepts. | Developing Professional Skills |
| Communications | Undertaking learning and practice in oral and written communications, including report writing and presentation. | Developing Professional Skills |
Organisational Skill Name and Description
| Framework | Skill | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework |
Incident management Governance and assurance involves defining and ensuring adherence to an organisation's quality control and compliance processes. |
Awareness Incident management You can: identify and register incidents, gathering the required information and allocating it to the appropriate channel |
| Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework |
Ownership and initiative |
Awareness Ownership and initiative You can: show an awareness of problem resolution processes pass problems on to your team |
| Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework |
Problem management |
Awareness Problem management You can: investigate problems in systems, processes and services, with an understanding of the level of a problem (for example, strategic, tactical or operational) contribute to the implementation of remedies and preventative measures |
| Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework |
User focus User focus involves understanding the user needs to develop a detailed understanding of the problems that need to be solved. |
Awareness User focus You can: show an awareness or understanding of user experience analysis and its principles explain the purpose of user stories and the focus on user needs |
Qualification Components
| Title | Awarding Bodies |
|---|---|
| ITIL Foundation | Foundation Certificate in IT Service Management (Version 3 or 4) |
| FEDIP Associate Practitioner | The Federation for Informatics Professionals |
| IT Apprenticeship Digital support technician (ST0120 Level 3) | Institute for Apprenticeships |
The Professional Body Responsible for this job family is BCS. This job role profile was created in collaboration with BCS, using Role Model Plus.