The journeyman's exam on data and communications education
From choice of specialty to troubleshooting task and journeyman certificate
Data and Communication Education is not one but a collective term for several related vocational qualifications that last from around two and a half years to up to five or six years, depending on which specialization and entry route you choose. The education alternates between school periods and practical work in a company, and the entire course concludes with a journeyman examination that leads to a journeyman certificate.
§The choice between IT support and data technician
From a newer version of the training's regulations the tracks IT support and data technician have become more clearly separated and you should as a starting point choose which of the two you are aiming for from the beginning. Another option is to complete the training as an IT support first and then build further with additional training as a data technician with a speciality in either infrastructure cybersecurity or programming.
| Specialty | Typical core task |
|---|---|
| IT support | Customer support, equipment and software setup |
| Data technician, infrastructure | Networks servers and operations |
| Data technician, cybersecurity | Protection of systems and data against attacks |
| Data technician, programming | Development and debugging of software. |
§The journeyman's exam for IT support
For the IT support track the final journeyman exam is typically held in the last main course and is based on two parts: a troubleshooting task where the student must identify and solve a concrete technical error and a presentation of a project. Both parts are assessed in the presence of an external examiner and the student's teacher. If you pass a journeyman certificate is issued documenting that you are fully trained in the trade.
§After the journeyman certificate
- 01Supplier certifications such as CompTIA A+, Network+ and Security+ document broad-based fundamental skills in hardware, networking and security
- 02Cisco certifications such as CCNA are widely recognised in networks and infrastructure
- 03Microsoft certifications are relevant for those who work with Windows operations, cloud services or development
- 04A shorter further education — for example as a datamatician or IT technician — can be built on top of the journeyman diploma for those who want to go further academically
“The journeyman's certificate proves you know the trade. The certifications prove what you can do in the trade.”
— Practical considerations on career paths in IT