Press Release

Armed Forces IT professional first in world to gain new qualification

22 April 2009

An information technology professional in the British Armed Forces is the first person in the world to gain the new ICTTech professional qualification, which is currently only awarded by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).

Corporal Dan Hunt, an ICT systems technician with the No 1 Radio School at the Royal Air Force in Cosford, Shropshire, is delighted with his achievement. He said, “Being recognised by a professional body for the training I have undertaken and the skills I have gained is a wonderful thing. IT specialists have been overlooked for a long time in the engineering environment and the new professional recognition of ICTTech is hopefully just the start.”

ICTTech was launched in January by the IET following industry demands for a competence-based professional qualification for ICT technicians.

Two other Armed Forces IT professionals are to be awarded ICTTech. Sergeant James Bennetts, network planned outage manager and sergeant Mark Fisher, service management, from the Global Operations Security and Control Centre at Corsham, Wiltshire, join Dan in achieving the new qualification.

James Bennetts said, “It's very pleasing to be recognised professionally after a 21 year ICT career in the RAF.”

Mark Fisher said, “I’m delighted that all my hard work and training in the ICT world has finally been recognised in the civilian industry.”

Michelle Richmond, IET membership and professional development director, said, “It’s a real achievement for Dan, James and Mark that they are among the first eight people in the world to achieve this brand new professional qualification.

“ICTTech will help employers to identify ICT practitioners who hold the skills they need while also recognising technical expertise, greatly strengthening professionalism and ethical practice in a key sector of employment.”

Wing Commander Stew Edmondson is commanding officer of No 1 Radio School, which trains all of the Royal Air Force's ICT specialists. He said, “The RAF is reliant upon a huge range of complex communications, information networks, sensors and detection systems in order to undertake effective air operations on a global scale.

“There are approximately 3,000 technician level ICT specialists in the RAF. They are employed in a really broad spectrum of roles both in the UK and around the globe and their career structure and training has recently been refined. A major theme of this work has been to promote the professionalism of ICT technicians. The registered ICT Technician award provides a much needed opportunity for corporals and sergeants to receive civilian recognition of their proven experience and competency.”

Squadron Leader Paul James from No1 Radio School said, “Professional recognition for those RAF technicians who work in the field of ICT is extremely important to the Royal Air Force - it is a constant challenge to align the training, qualifications and technical experience gained by our technicians with their civilian counterparts. ICTTech, coupled with the streamlined application process we have developed with the IET, will help us achieve this alignment whilst inspiring our technicians to broaden their view of current and future technologies.”

The IET is licensed by the Engineering Council UK to award ICTTech, which is the first new registration category on the Engineering Council Register for nearly 35 years.