Maximising the effective use of digital office technologies, productivity software and digital communications in organisations
Occupational Profile
This occupation is found in organisations, large and small, in all sectors, and within public, private and voluntary organisations. Organisations of all types are increasing applying digital technologies across all their business functions to maximise productivity. The demand for people who can support and implement these digital operations and digital transformation projects is increasing. Similarly, organisations of all types are increasingly supporting their service users though online and digital channels, as they develop omni-channel approaches to meeting customer needs, deflect traditional telephone and face-to-face contacts and to reduce costs.
The broad purpose of a Digital Support Technician is to maximise the effective use of digital office technologies, productivity software, digital communications, including collaborative technologies, and digital information systems to achieve objectives. They will select one of the following two options:
A Digital Applications Technician helps their organisation and its internal users to maximise the use of digital technologies and adapt to and exploit changes in technology to meet organisation objectives and maximise productivity ensure effective use of digital office technologies, productivity software, digital communications, including collaborative technologies, and digital information systems to achieve objectives
A Digital Service Technician supports the external customers and clients of their organisation though a wide variety of digital channels, to help them access and receive services, to coach and support them in their use of the digital systems; to support them to complete and submit information remotely and to diagnose and resolve their problems in relation to their access to and use of the digital technologies
In their daily work, Digital Support Technicians interact with a wide variety of internal or external users of digital systems, through digital channels, by phone and/or face to face. Digital Support Technicians have the following levels of responsibility
Autonomy: working under general direction, using discretion in identifying and responding to complex issues and assignments, usually receiving clear instructions and having work reviewed at frequent milestones, and determining when issues should be escalated to a higher level.
Influence: interacting with and influencing others, having working level contact with colleagues or customers, and may supervise others or make decisions which impact the work assigned to others or to other phases of projects.
Business: contributing fully to the work of teams, planning, scheduling and monitoring their own work within limited deadlines and according to relevant legislation, standards and procedures.
All Digital Support Technicians have the following core duties
- Apply relevant digital technologies effectively to achieve objectives
- Monitor and operate complex digital information and intelligence systems
- Respond to user enquiries
- Maintain data, digital resources and data systems
- Communicate effectively though digital channels
- Learn through digital resources
- Work as a member of a team
- Maintain an awareness of current, emerging and fringe digital technologies
Digital Applications Technicians also
- Devise technology-based productivity solutions, and implement these in the organisation
- Work as digital champions – training and supporting colleagues to make the best use of technology-based productivity tools
- Diagnose digital problems and provide internal end-user application support
- Assist with digital operations and digital change projects
- Support digital transformation projects.
Digital Service Technicians also
- Help customers and clients register for and access information, products and services through online and digital channels as part of a sales or customer service process
- Support and coach external users in their use of these digital technologies
- Diagnose and resolve external users’ digital problems with accessing and using the digital technologies and advising on related hardware and software problems
- Utilise software packages and tools such as collaborative technologies, to interface effectively with external end-users
- Use a variety of digital channels to maximise effective external user support and to resolve external end-user problems
- Use and maintain information systems such as Customer Relationship Management tools to manage service delivery, improve user experience and increase organisational productivity
Typical Job Roles:
For Digital Applications Technicians: Digital Coach, Digital Transformation Associate; ICT Support Analyst, Digital Champion, Database Administrator, Data Administrator, IT Operations Technician, Digital Applications Specialist and Digital Systems Operator.
For Digital Service Technicians: Service Centre Operator, Digital Service Advisor, Digital Service Support, Digital Service Agent; Applications and On-line Service Executive, Technical Support Professional, Digital Support Professional, and Operations Technical Specialist
Duration
15 months (this does not include EPA period)
Delivery
The delivery will be done mainly at the workplace, with the off-the-job training accounting for at least 6 hours a week. The assessor will regularly visit you at work to observe you performing relevant tasks and to carry out professional discussions. You will receive a login to an online portfolio.
You will complete Level 3 Digital Support Technician prior to taking the end-point assessment.
Apprentices without level 2 English and maths will need to achieve this level prior to taking the end-point assessment.
Upon completion you can progress onto an advanced or higher apprenticeship at level 3, 4 or 5.
End Point Assessment
The end-point assessment (EPA) for Digital Support Technician contains 2 methods of assessment which will be graded as Fail, Pass or Distinction:
- Project Report with Presentation, Questions and Answers
- Professional Discussion Underpinned by Portfolio
Candidates for this course should be working in a related sector.
All applications will be reviewed on an individual basis. If you have experience or previous knowledge that will support your application please remember to include it. Apprentices without level 2 English and maths will need to achieve this level prior to taking the End-Point Assessment.
As an employer that doesn’t pay the apprenticeship levy, you pay just 5% towards the cost of training and assessing an apprentice.
The government will pay the rest up to the funding band maximum.
You’ll pay the training provider directly and agree on a payment schedule.
If you employ fewer than 50 employees, the government will pay 100% of the apprenticeship training costs up to the funding band maximum for apprentices aged:
- 16 to 21
- 19 to 24 with an education, health and care plan provided by their local authority or has been in the care of their local authority
Paying employer National Insurance contributions
Employers may not need to pay Class 1 National Insurance contributions for an apprentice, if the apprentice is:
- under 25 years old
- on an approved UK government apprenticeship standard or framework (these can differ depending on country)
- earns less than £967 a week (£50,270 a year)
The apprentice, as an employee, will continue to pay Class 1 insurance contributions through their salary, this will only benefit the employer.
Read HMRC’s guidance on paying National Insurance contributions.
