ICDL (International Computer Driving Licence) is the world's leading computer skills certification, to date more than 14 million people have engaged with the ICDL programme, in over 100 countries, through our network of over 24,000 ICDL Accredited Test Centres (ATCs).
The ICDL programme defines the skills and competencies necessary to use a computer and common computer applications. It offers a wide range of modules including Computer Essentials, Word Processing and IT Security. Candidates take tests in the modules which are most relevant to their educational and professional requirements, thereby creating their ICDL Profile. Whether in school, university or in the workplace, ICDL offers the skills you need to succeed.
ICDL programmes are for anyone who wishes to become fully competent in the use of a computer and common applications. Computer skills enable people of all ages to understand and use technology to improve their personal and professional lives. ICDL modules provide a practical programme of up-to-date skills and knowledge areas which are validated by a test.
ECDL Foundation is an international organisation dedicated to raising digital competence standards in the workforce, education and society. Our certification programmes, delivered through an active network in more than 100 countries, enable individuals and organisations to assess, build and certify their competence in the use of computers and digital tools to the globally-recognised ECDL standard, known as ICDL worldwide.
As a nonprofit social enterprise ECDL Foundation (ICDL Foundation) benefits from the unique support of experts from national computer societies and partners worldwide to develop vendor-independent standards which define the skills and knowledge required to use digital technology effectively. We work with education and training partners, local and regional authorities, national governments, international development organisations as well as public and private sector employers in all sectors, in the delivery of our programmes.
The quality and reputation of ICDL is built on almost twenty years of experience in delivering our certification programmes to over 14 million people and in more than 40 languages worldwide, with more than 2.5 million ICDL tests taken annually. Our success is maintained by our ongoing innovation in certification programme development, our commitment to rigorous test design methodologies, and consistent adherence to our quality assurance standards.
ECDL Foundation supports the initiatives of National Operators of the programme in Europe and the Arab States from our headquarters in Dublin, Ireland and our European office in Brussels, Belgium. We have also established three regional operations – ICDL Africa (based in Rwanda), ICDL Asia (based in Singapore) and ICDL Americas (based in Panama). All ECDL Foundation operations work closely with regional, national and local partners to develop the global network of ICDL Accredited Test Centres.
BENEFITS OF ICT SKILLS FOR INDIVIDUALS
The ability to use a computer effectively is an essential life skill. Computer skills enable people of all ages to understand and use technology to improve their personal and professional lives. A computer skills certification can help the holder’s professional life by making them more attractive to employers, while increasing their ability to communicate and access information and services in their personal life.
HELP INDIVIDUALS COMMUNICATE, CONNECT, AND INTERACT WITH OTHERS
- Communicate with friends and family
- Connect with communities of like-minded people through social networks, email, or blogs
- Interact using online technologies, for example, instant messaging, webcams, VoIP, online education, and entertainment
ENABLE ACCESS TO A RANGE OF INFORMATION AND SERVICES THAT CAN SIMPLIFY LIFE AND SAVE TIME
- Make purchases online and shop around for the best value
- Manage accounts and pay bills online
- Deal with officials, send forms, and find information online through government services
INCREASE INDIVIDUALS’ CONFIDENCE, MOTIVATION, AND POTENTIAL FOR USING TECHNOLOGY
- Make the best use of their time and get the most out of their computer
- Track household accounts quickly and easily in spreadsheets
- Create professional-looking letters
- Access news, information and entertainment
FACILITATE LEARNING BEYOND FORMAL EDUCATION AND PROVIDE MORE OPTIONS FOR HOW AND WHAT PEOPLE CAN LEARN
- Attain qualifications at their own pace through distance learning, even when in full-time employment
- Access online and multimedia learning tools
- Participate in online special interest learning groups
BENEFITS OF ICT SKILLS FOR EMPLOYERS
Skilled employees enable organisations to use technology more effectively, leading to increases in productivity and competitiveness and ensuring that operational objectives are achieved more efficiently. ICDL certification programmes are used to increase the value of human capital and achieve productivity gains through developing competent employees.
INCREASE OVERALL EFFICIENCY AND PRODUCTIVITY
- Produce professional quality documents and presentations efficiently without support from others
- Use formulas and functions to efficiently and effectively carry out complex calculations
- Confidently run and generate automated queries and reports (quicker than creating manually)
- Enable integration of ICT to existing business processes: use of PDAs, VoIP, online ordering
SAVE TIME AND MONEY
- Ensure less time and money is spent on IT support to resolve simple IT challenges: both IT helpdesk and other colleagues’ time
INCREASE EMPLOYEES' CONFIDENCE AND JOB SATISFACTION
- Produce better looking presentations, graphs, charts and letters
- Complete more tasks to a higher standard, thus improving output
- Employees spend less time on mundane tasks
SIGNIFICANTLY ENHANCE INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION
- Use email, instant messaging, and VoIP to communicate
- Produce documents and presentations that look more professional
- Use shared documents for collaborative projects
BENEFITS OF ICT SKILLS FOR SCHOOLS
Students with ICT skills enjoy an enriched educational experience and will be better prepared for life, work, and further learning. ICT skills enable teachers to use technology more effectively in the teaching process, thus achieving educational goals more efficiently, and in doing so save time and increase productivity in the classroom.
IMPROVE COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION
- Use technology to share tasks and work on group assignments and projects
- Use email, instant messaging, and blogs to communicate with teachers and other students
- Join virtual communities on topics of interest to their course of study
FACILITATES ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND RESOURCES
- Access information on the Internet to supplement course work/study
- Access a variety of content and sources which can facilitate intercultural understanding
- Foster creativity in students by using interactive multimedia tools
PROMOTE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE TOWARDS LIFELONG LEARNING
- Engage and motivate students by enabling them to use ICT skills in learning
- Engage students with visualisation tools, voice and text feedback, to develop conceptual understanding
- Allow access to a wide range of multimedia-based learning elements
BETTER EQUIPS STUDENTS FOR LIFE AND FOR THE WORKFORCE
- Learn skills that students will need to apply to be successful in the workplace and in life
