CITP Application Overview

Welcome to the overview

CITP status is the benchmark of IT excellence. Being a Chartered IT Professional shows the business world that you have a breadth of knowledge across the IT Industry, and are an expert in your field.

As an Organisational Member of BCS, Waitrose is offering to support a selection of their technical experts through the process of gaining Chartership. BCS is able to deliver this on-site overview to demystify CITP so that those who are selected know what’s involved before embarking on the application process. We want you to feel familiar with CITP and know where to find the resources you need to successfully join our community of Chartered Professionals. For those of you who aspire to CITP but miss out on selection this year, you will be able to target the skills and experience required to further strengthen your profile for future consideration.

Today I am here to:

•Provide an overview of CITP status

•Offer advice & guidance on the application and assessment process

•Answer any queries you may have

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What does Professionalism look like?

• Member of a professional body

• Signed up to a code of conduct

• Committed to continuous professional development

• Qualified

• Demonstrates trusted competence Chartered status is a great way to demonstrate the quality of our consultants

Andrew Reid, Microsoft Consulting Services Director

What is CITP status?

• Chartered IT Professionals add business value through use of technology.

• CITPs have breadth of knowledge across the whole of IT and competence in their own specialism.

• CITPs understand the business they are working in.

• CITP status tells an employer something about the holder that they cannot easily find out for themselves.

• The CITP standard is aspirational and demanding to achieve.

• The assessment process is rigorous with periodic revalidation (Certificate of Current Competence).

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SFIA Level 5 – Ensure and Advise (CITP standard) Autonomy

Works under broad direction. Work is often self-initiated. Is fully accountable for meeting allocated technical and / or project / supervisory objectives. Establishes milestones and has a significant role in the delegation of responsibilities.

InfluenceInfluences organisation, customers, suppliers, partners and peers on the contribution of own specialism. Builds appropriate and effective business relationships. Makes decisions which impact the success of assigned projects i.e. results, deadlines and budget. Has significant influence over the allocation and management of resources appropriate to given assignments.

ComplexityPerforms an extensive range and variety of complex technical and / or professional work activities. Undertakes work which requires the application of fundamental principles in a wide and often unpredictable range of contexts. Understands the relationship between own specialism and wider customer / organisational requirements.

Business skillsAdvises on the available standards, methods, tools and applications relevant to own specialism and can make appropriate choices from alternatives. Analyses, designs, plans, executes and evaluates work to time, cost and quality targets. Assesses and evaluates risk. Communicates effectively, both formally and informally. Demonstrates leadership. Facilitates collaboration between stakeholders who have diverse objectives.

Understands the relevance of own area of responsibility / specialism to the employing organisation. Takes customer requirements into account when making proposals. Takes initiative to keep skills up to date. Mentors colleagues. Maintains an awareness of developments in the industry. Analyses requirements and advises on scope and options for continuous operational improvement. Demonstrates creativity and innovation in applying solutions for the benefit of the customer / stakeholder. Takes account of relevant legislation.

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Before you start

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Supporters for your application

• Why do we need supporters?

– Our Assessors will look for some independent validation, which supports that you have been working for three of the last five years in an IT role using skills equivalent to SFIA Level 5

– This adds more rigour to the assessment and helps the Assessor judge the applicant’s suitability for CITP status

• You may need more than 1 supporter for your application

• A supporter can be your employer, a client, or a colleague (same or higher level), and must be sufficiently familiar with your work over three of the last five years to have a reliable opinion of your competence and provide specific work related examples

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‘I’d recommend CITP status to all experienced IT practitioners... Ensure your supporters are aligned with what they need to do before they are asked to support your application’.

Tim Clements MBCS CITP, Head of IT Compliance and Process Optimisation, Carlsberg Group

What is required from your supporter(s)

• Supporters are asked to provide evidence of the applicant’s experience in line with the same SFIA L5 criteria as you were asked to demonstrate in your application

• To do this, they will complete a Supporter Report Form, which should be in their own words and be submitted with your application form

• This is not intended to be unduly onerous, but provides the independent validation which makes CITP status credible

• Please chose your supporters carefully, as there may be a need for us to approach them for more information (e.g. telephone discussion with one of our assessors)

• Supporter details will be kept by BCS as part of the applicant assessment record

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Where do I apply?

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10-Step Application

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Your initial application

Education and Experience

“A period of experience working in IT including recent experience at SFIA Level 5 or above.”

•About you

•Current work experience and number of years in IT

•Qualifications if applicable

•Choose a specialism which best describes your main area of expertise (this can be changed later in the assessment process, in advance of your interview)

– Information security and management

– Strategy and architecture

– Portfolio, programme and project management

– Business change

– Solution development and implementation

– Service management

– Supply quality and resource management

– Learning and development

– Sales and marketing

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‘I would recommend CITP status to others, it’s a rigorous process and an achievement to be proud of ‘

Davina Whitworth MBCS CITP, Corporate Strategy Manager at Luton Borough Council

Your initial application (ctd.)

• Your current CV and personal statement

– Current role

– Key responsibilities

– Time in role – months and years

– Explanation of any gaps

– Demonstrating three out of the last five years, using skills equivalent to SFIA Level 5

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Preparing your personal statement

Try to think of specific work examples for which you’ve been personally responsible, which show the following:

•Autonomy – how is your work set and what is the nature of your reporting relationship to the manager?

•Influence – in your working environment, what is the extent of your influence or impact on others?

•Complexity of work – what type of work activities does you perform?

•Business skills – what level of influence or autonomy do you have regarding which methods, tools and applications you use? What degree of technical understanding do you have?

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‘Credibility is essential for most security and compliance roles and Chartered status enables my employer to demonstrate that they have credible leaders in this space’

Glen Taylor FBCS CITP, Vice President Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, Business Technology Infrastructure, Security and Compliance

Breadth of Knowledge test

• This is an essential part of the assessment process as it assures applicants have the general awareness across a range of IT areas

• You need to pass the BoK test to proceed to interview stage

• As you are already aware the test comprises 75 multiple choice questions which cover a broad range of topics. Candidates will be required to achieve a pass mark in each of the 5 sections, as well as on the paper as a whole. The section pass mark is 8 out of 15, and the overall pass mark is 50

• You can sit your BoK at any Pearson Vue test centre

• You are allowed two attempts within one application

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Interview & presentation stage – Depth of knowledge

• Once you have successfully proceeded through the initial assessment and BoK test, you will be given access by BCS to an online interview booking system

• The interview allows you to demonstrate your experience and the assessors to seek clarification and ask questions about your area of specialism

• The specialism you’ve chosen will be used to identify a Lead Assessor for your interview, however you can change your specialism prior to booking your interview if necessary

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‘The interview was enjoyable and I felt I was being given constructive assistance rather than a grilling.'

Richard Atkinson MBCS CITP, CIO at Just Giving

Interview & presentation stage – Depth of knowledge (ctd.)

• The interview takes place with 2 assessors online using video conferencing software.

• As part of the interview you are required to do a short presentation. You will need to provide BCS with a copy of your presentation at least 7 days prior to the date of your interview so it can be supplied to our assessors in good time

• The presentation should be 10 minutes long and you should include examples from work for which you have been personally responsible for delivering. Please be mindful not to let your presentation over-run

• The outcome of the assessment will be communicated to you by email within 10 working days of your interview. Your certificate pack will follow soon after. If unsuccessful, BCS will ensure you get feedback from the assessors.

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The interview was actually quiteenjoyable as the two assessors seemedgenuinely interested in my answers andwhat I’d worked on.

Cath Downie MBCS CITP, Client Services Manager, Sopra Group

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Once you’ve been awarded – Apply to become a BCS Assessor

• Becoming a BCS Chartered Assessor is an opportunity for you to share your expertise, demonstrate your commitment to the profession and enhance your continuous professional development.

• By harnessing your knowledge and experience though our Assessor Programme, The Institute can continue to raise standards and support other IT professionals throughout their careers.

• Applications are welcomed from Chartered members of BCS and the role requires a minimum commitment of 2-4 hours per month.

• You will typically be an experienced people manager, practised at interviewing techniques, appraisals and recruitment. You will have well developed communication, time-management and inter-personal skills.

• As a CITP with Certificate of Current Competence you can become a Lead Interviewer and carry out initial reviews of evidence

• Assessor logos recognise your status as an Approved BCS Assessor. Our assessors are invited to consultation sessions and workshops to discuss continuous improvements and share best practise methods.

Find out more at www.bcs.org/assessor

‘There are two areas in which I greatly benefit from my assessor role. The first is my skill in interviewing people. The second is in the breadth of IT projects that I am now exposed to’.

BCS Chartered Assessor, Christopher Marsh MBCS CITP

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