The validation event for PC Passport will take place on Friday, 20 November. The purpose of a validation event is for new or revised qualifications to be scrutinised by independent experts. The panel will consist of representatives of colleges, schools, industry and special interest groups who will question members of the Qualification Development Team about their proposed changes. The basis of the validation event is the Group Award Specification, which details exactly what’s in the new award and explains why the changes were made.

We think that the new version of PC Passport is an improvement over the current version. It’s a “back to basics” version with separate units on word processing, spreadsheets, presentation software and databases. This version reintroduces the hierarchy that was present in the original (2004) award (so that you can mix and match units across levels) and re-establishes the direct link with vendors (Microsoft Office Specialist). It’s been thoroughly modernised to take into account the latest features of software such as Office 365 and cloud computing.

You can find out more by contacting Helen directly.