Qualifications
As a result of increasing demand in the Gulf region for beginner and advanced internationally
recognized certifications, ICDL GCC Foundation offers five main qualifications,
namely e-Citizen, EqualSkills, ICDL Core, ICDL Advanced and the Certified Training
Professional (CTP). These qualifications are based on globally unified benchmarks,
endorsed and recognized by computer societies, government bodies, academic institutions
and international organizations around the world due to their exceptionally high
standard and relevance to today's e-participation. The unique range and depth of
input that goes into creating the syllabus of each qualification program ensures
that the certifications are always meaningful and substantiated.
Introduction
The International Computer Driving Licence (ICDL) Concept is a global computer
literacy initiative developed to raise the level of knowledge about Information
Technology (IT) and increase the level of competence in using personal computers
and common computer applications for all the citizens of the world.
Owned and coordinated by The European Computer Driving Licence Foundation Limited
(ECDL-F) , a not-for-profit organization based in Dublin, Ireland, the ICDL GCC
Foundation is an internationally recognized, vendor-neutral certificate which
demonstrates a person’s competence in computing knowledge and skills in accordance
with international standards.
ICDL: What is it?
The ICDL is a test of practical skills and competencies and consists of seven separate
modules covering computer theory and practice. To achieve an ICDL certification,
the Candidate must successfully pass a test in all seven modules.
ICDL Module 1 is a theoretical test of computing knowledge at a general level and
modules 2-7 are practical skills tests, as follows:
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Module 1 - Concepts of Information Technology (IT)
This module requires the Candidate to have an understanding of some of the main
concepts of IT at a general level. The Candidate is required to understand the make-up
of a personal computer in terms of hardware and software and to understand some
of the concepts of Information Technology (IT) such as data storage and memory.
The Candidate shall also understand how information networks are used within computing
and be aware of the uses of computer-based software applications in everyday life.
The Candidate shall appreciate health and safety issues as well as some environmental
factors involved in using computers.
The Candidate shall be aware of some of the important security and legal issues
associated with using computers.
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Module 2 - Using the Computer and Managing Files
This module requires the Candidate to demonstrate knowledge and competence in using
the common functions of a personal computer and its operating system. The Candidate
shall be able to adjust main settings, use the built-in help features and deal with
a non-responding application.
He or she shall be able to operate effectively within the desktop environment and
work with desktop icons and windows. The Candidate shall be able to manage and organise
files and directories/folders, and know how to duplicate, move and delete files
and directories/folders, and compress and extract files.
The Candidate shall also understand what a computer virus is and be able to use
virus-scanning software. The Candidate shall demonstrate the ability to use simple
editing tools and print management facilities available within the operating system.
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Module 3 - Word Processing
This module requires the Candidate to demonstrate the ability to use a word processing
application on a computer. The Candidate shall be able to accomplish everyday tasks
associated with creating, formatting and finishing small sized word processing documents
ready for distribution.
He or she shall also be able to duplicate and move text within and between documents.
The Candidate shall demonstrate competence in using some of the features associated
with word processing applications such as creating standard tables, using pictures
and images within a document, and using mail merge tools.
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Module 4 - Spreadsheets
This module requires the Candidate to understand the concept of spreadsheets and
to demonstrate the ability to use a spreadsheet application on a computer. The Candidate
shall understand and be able to accomplish tasks associated with developing, formatting,
modifying and using a spreadsheet of limited scope ready for distribution.
He or she shall also be able to generate and apply standard mathematical and logical
formulas using standard formulas and functions. The Candidate shall demonstrate
competence in creating and formatting graphs/charts.
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Module 5 - Database
This module requires the Candidate to understand some of the main concepts of databases
and demonstrate the ability to use a database on a computer.
The Candidate shall be able to create and modify tables, queries, forms and reports,
and prepare outputs ready for distribution.
The Candidate shall be able to relate tables and to retrieve and manipulate information
from a database by using query and sort tools available in the package.
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Module 6 - Presentation
This module requires the Candidate to demonstrate competence in using presentation
tools on a computer. The Candidate shall be able to accomplish tasks such as creating,
formatting, modifying and preparing presentations using different slide layouts
for display and printed distribution.
He or she shall also be able to duplicate and move text, pictures, images and charts
within the presentation and between presentations.
The Candidate shall demonstrate the ability to accomplish common operations with
images, charts and drawn objects and to use various slide show effects.
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Module 7 - Information and Communication
This module is divided into two sections. The first section, Information, requires
the Candidate to understand some of the concepts and terms associated with using
the Internet, and to appreciate some of the security considerations. The Candidate
shall also be able to accomplish common Web search tasks using a Web browsing application
and available search engine tools.
He or she shall be able to bookmark Web sites, and to print Web pages and search
outputs. The Candidate shall be able to navigate within and complete Web-based forms.
In the second section, Communication, the Candidate is required to understand some
of the concepts of electronic mail (e-mail), together with having an appreciation
of some of the security considerations associated with using e-mail. The Candidate
shall also demonstrate the ability to use e-mail software to send and receive messages,
and to attach files to mail messages.
The Candidate shall be able to organise and manage message folders/directories within
e-mail software.
Who is ICDL for?
The ICDL programme is for anyone who needs to demonstrate to an international standard
that they are fully competent in the use of a personal computer and common computer
applications and that they know the essential concepts of Information Technology.
Prospective Candidates should ideally have used computers and the common software
applications before. Other programmes are also available for those with other requirements.
How does it work?
When Candidates register to start the ICDL certification process they purchase a
Skills Card on which their progress through the seven Tests is recorded. Skills
Cards may be purchased from any approved Test Centre. Only an approved Test Centre
can carry out testing and issue Skills Cards. Approved Test Centres are approved
and monitored by the ICDL GCC Foundation.
How much training is required?
Usually the Candidate will undertake training on each Module of the Syllabus prior
to taking the Test, although this is not compulsory. The amount of training will
depend on the Candidate’s skills levels and the training provider chosen, but the
average is around 30 hours of training per Module.
Some Candidates may feel competent enough in one area to forego training and move
onto testing immediately, while others may require full training prior to testing.
There are various ICDL GCC Foundation approved training materials (books and computer
based training) available so that a Candidate can learn in their own time.
Please see a list of approved materials here.
How long are the Tests?
Each Module is tested separately and each Test generally lasts 45 minutes. The seven
Tests can be attempted in any order and at any time.
The ICDL is unique in that it has been designed to be vendor-neutral. This means
that the ICDL is not tied to one type of software. It therefore gives Candidates
the flexibility and freedom to acquire core IT skills and confidently apply them
in any software environment they may be required to use.
To find out about ICDL training and testing in GCC Countries, please visit your Country Page here
Benefits of ICDL
Today, computer skills are increasingly important to people in all walks of life.
The ICDL is an information technology certificate for all citizens. It is intended
for those who need to, or wish to, know how to use a personal computer. It is suitable
for people from every work discipline, for people entering the job market, and for
all ages.
Benefits for Candidates
- Increases essential IT knowlege/skills
- Increases confidence in computer use
- Provides internationally-recognised qualification
- Improves job prospects and job mobility
- Provides a platform from which to move on to higher-level IT education
Benefits for Employers:
- Increases productivity
- Reduces costs
- Increases the quality of employee output
- Reduces time wasted
- Makes better use of IT resources
- Provides a better return on IT investment
Training Materials
The ICDL GCC Foundation does not provide training or course materials directly.
It does, however, formally approve course materials produced by certain courseware
providers. The course materials available from the providers listed below have been
approved by the ICDL GCC Foundation, thus ensuring that they cover the ICDL Syllabus
Version 4.0.
Please look for the ICDL GCC Foundation Approved Courseware logo when purchasing
course materials.
For all Courseware related queries please contact
info@icdlgcc.org.
ICDL Advanced is a higher-level programme designed for those who have successfully
reached ICDL skills levels and wish to further enhance their computer proficiency.
ICDL Advanced covers the following modules:
The ICDL Advanced modules give Candidates the opportunity to become expert in the
use of these applications, acquiring skills sets over and above the routine features
of the software.
ICDL Advanced Candidates can demonstrate that they are:
- Organised and efficient
- More productive
- Capable of confidently exploiting the full potential of the applications
- Expert at producing attractive, professional-quality outputs
The ICDL Advanced qualification is:
- Internationally-recognised
- A demonstration of certified advanced skills
- Vendor-neutral (i.e. applicable to all brands of the relevant software)
- Backed by the reputation of the ICDL certification
How does the ICDL Advanced programme work?
Each Advanced module has been designed as a stand-alone certification in each respective
area and Candidates who successfully complete a module will be certified as Advanced
users in that application.
Each Module typically requires 8-15 hours of training prior to testing, although
Candidates may forego training if they choose (assuming they already have advanced
skills). There are various ICDL GCC Foundation approved training materials (books
and computer based training) available so that a Candidate can learn in their own
time.
Please see a list of approved materials here.
Each Module is assessed in a one-hour Test. On successful completion of each Advanced
Test, Candidates are awarded Advanced certification in that Module.
Candidates who choose to complete all four Advanced modules are awarded with the
new ICDL Expert certification, signifying expert-level ICDL competence.
ICDL Advanced Word Processing (Module AM3)
With the ICDL Advanced Word Processing certification, Candidates can demonstrate
their ability to use the advanced features of word processing applications to enhance
their work, improve productivity and save time.
Candidates with ICDL Advanced Word Processing certified skills can:
- Create and manage large, complex word processing projects
- Illustrate sophisticated typographical, formatting and layout presentations, including
tables, forms and graphics
- Use tools such as macros
- Carry out more advanced mail merge operations
- Work effectively on large collaborative projects
What does ICDL
Advanced Word Processing cover? - Click Here
The main areas covered in the ICDL Advanced Word Processing Syllabus are: Editing;
Layout; Document Organisation; Special Tools and Printing.
What are the
Benefits of ICDL Advanced Word Processing?- Click Here
Because this certification is vendor-neutral it is not linked to any one brand of
software so you can acquire the skills to use any word processing application you
wish.
The syllabus has been designed to be task-based, rather than function-based, so
you acquire the skills you need to accomplish advanced tasks with the application
rather than simply learning the functions of one software brand.
The guidelines for this module suggest 30 hours of learning before testing.
Please visit your relevant
Country page or website to see if Advanced Word Processing is available near you.
What does Advanced Word Processing Cover?
The main areas covered in the ICDL Advanced Word Processing (AM3) Syllabus are:
1. Editing: With the ICDL Advanced Word Processing certification you can
prove your mastery of many advanced editing tools within word processing applications.
This section gives you the skills to use advanced text editing features, paragraph
and style options or template formatting and layout options. This section also covers
collaborative editing features which allow you to work as a team on large, complex
word processing projects
2. Layout: Create and modify master documents and sub-documents, table of
contents, document sections, multiple column layouts and column breaks.
3. Document Organisation: Create and modify bookmarks, indexes, cross-references,
field codes, footnotes and endnotes. Add and modify password protection to a document.
Other areas to be covered:
- Use advanced table features to merge and split cells in a table, convert tabbed
text into a table, sort data and perform calculations in a table
- Use advanced form features to create, edit and protect forms
- Insert, edit, format and link text boxes
- Use advanced spreadsheet features to modify an embedded worksheet within a document
- Create and modify a chart from a table or pasted worksheet within a document and
position a chart within a document
- Use advanced image/drawing features to create drawings and to manipulate pre-defined
shapes or add a watermark to a document
- Use advanced captions features to add captions to images, figures or tables and
apply numbered captions to an image, figures or tables
4. Special Tools: Use advanced mail merge features to edit and sort a data
source and/or merge documents with a data source using merge criteria. Use macro
features to record, run and copy macros and assign a macro to a button on the toolbar.
5. Printing: Use printing features to customise printed outputs.
What are the Benefits of ICDL Advanced Word Processing (AM3)
Benefits for you:
As a certified ICDL Advanced Word Processing Candidate you will:
- Be confident, efficient and effective in using the word processing application
- Be able to prove that you have mastery of the application
- Produce and manage large, complex word processing outputs
- Improve your productivity and save time
- Increase your prospects for employment or promotion
- Have an internationally-recognised qualification
What are the benefits for Organisations?
Personnel with ICDL Advanced Word Processing certified skills can:
- Improve productivity and save time
- Demonstrate mastery of the application
- Produce and manage advanced word processing outputs
- Improve your productivity and save time
- Illustrate sophisticated typographical, formatting and layout presentations, including
tables, forms and graphics
- Carry out more advanced mail merge operations within the word processing application
- Work effectively on large collaborative projects
- Use tools such as macros
ICDL Advanced Spreadsheets (Module AM4)
The ICDL Advanced Spreadsheets certification presents Candidates with the opportunity
to bring their spreadsheet skills to an expert level. This allows them to use the
full potential of the spreadsheet application to produce higher quality management
information.
Candidates with ICDL Advanced Spreadsheets certified skills can:
- Produce higher quality information
- Pinpoint key information quicker and more easily
- Provide more sharply-defined analysis
- Produce more sophisticated reports
- Use advanced editing, data handling, functions and analysis features
- Use macros within the spreadsheets application
In today’s competitive market, give yourself the edge and go to the next level with
the ICDL Advanced Spreadsheets certification.
What does ICDL Advanced Spreadsheets cover? - Click here
The main areas covered in the ICDL Advanced Spreadsheets Syllabus are: Editing;
Data Handling; Functions; Analysis and Special Tools.
What are the benefits of ICDL Advanced Spreadsheets? - Click here
This certification is vendor-neutral and task-based, so you can acquire the skills
you need to accomplish advanced tasks with any database application you wish.
The guidelines for this module suggest 30 hours of learning before testing.
Please visit your relevant
Country page or website to see if Advanced Spreadsheets is available near you.
What does ICDL Advanced Spreadsheets cover?
The main areas covered in the ICDL Advanced Spreadsheets (AM4) Syllabus are:
1. Editing
With the ICDL Advanced Spreadsheets certification one can:
- Prove your mastery of many advanced data manipulation tools within spreadsheet applications.
- Acquire the skills to use subtotalling features to calculate key subtotals instantly
and to create what-if tables to display outcomes based on variable scenarios
- Use conditional formatting options to apply different formats to selected data within
a spreadsheet or use paste special options to remove formulae from data and to transpose
data for presentation purposes.
2. Data Handling
The ICDL Advanced Spreadsheets Syllabus covers a wide range of valuable advanced
data handling options:
- Sorting - Sort data by multiple columns (e.g. apply multiple sort criteria
simultaneously) or perform custom sorts (e.g. sort data alphabetically by day or
by month).
- Querying/Filtering - Extract clear, accurate information from lists by creating
single or multiple criteria queries or by using advanced query and filter options.
- Linking - Use the powerful linking tool to link data or charts within a worksheet,
between worksheets, between spreadsheets or into a word processing document. Linked
information remains constantly updated, thereby keeping all your information current
and reducing your workload.
- Templates - Use and edit templates to create customised worksheets.
- Charts - Create and manipulate charts within a spreadsheet to create sophisticated,
professional-quality work.
3. Functions
Acquire the skills to use a battery of effective tools to create enhanced data analysis.
Use date/time functions, mathematical functions, statistical functions, text functions,
logical functions, financial functions, lookup and reference functions and available
database functions to extract precise information from the data.
4. Analysis
Make data analysis easier using the following:
- Pivot Tables/Dynamic Crosstab
This impressive number-crunching tool can collapse large quantities of data into
concise management information. With ICDL Advanced Spreadsheets you can gain the
skills to create and edit pivot tables or dynamic crosstab reports to manipulate
large quantities of data by various criteria to produce pinpoint-accurate information
summaries.
- Scenarios/Versions
Create a variety of scenarios to produce instant reports that illustrate a variety
of circumstances.
- Auditing
Use auditing tools to show formulae used to create reports to trace cells feeding
into formulae and to add and edit comments.
5. Special Tools
Record and run simple macros and assign a custom button to a macro on a toolbar.
Benefits of ICDL Advanced Spreadsheets (AM4)
What are the benefits for you?
As a certified ICDL Advanced Spreadsheets Candidate you will:
- be confident, efficient and effective in using the spreadsheet application
- be able to prove that you have mastery of the application
- produce better reports with deeper data analysis
- produce higher quality management information
- improve your productivity
- increase your prospects for employment or promotion
- have an internationally recognised qualification.
What are the benefits for Organisations?
Personnel with ICDL Advanced Spreadsheets certified skills can:
- produce higher quality information
- manage information better
- pinpoint information quicker and more easily
- provide more sharply-defined analysis
- increase their productivity
- provide instant access to key management information
- give a greater insight into the marketplace
- enable your organisation to make better decisions
ICDL Advanced Database (Module AM5)
Anybody who works with databases on a regular basis already knows just how useful
they can be for managing and analysing large quantities of information. Thanks to
database applications we can structure and manage large amounts of data and manipulate
it to extract valuable information.
But did you know that most database applications have advanced features that allow
one to carry out more complex functions that can further enhance the quality of
one's work and save time – if one has the skills to use them!
As a certified ICDL Advanced Database Candidate, one can:
- Produce better reports with deeper data analysis
- Produce higher quality management information
- Use advanced features in table, query, form and report design
- Use macros within the database application
- Import, export and link data
A key tool for anyone who needs to take their database skills to the next level,
the ICDL Advanced Database certification will help you get more from the database
application by giving you the skills to use the many advanced tools available on