All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source. |
SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY |
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION: |
Occupational Certificate: Internet-of-Things Developer |
SAQA QUAL ID | QUALIFICATION TITLE | |||
119262 | Occupational Certificate: Internet-of-Things Developer | |||
ORIGINATOR | ||||
Development Quality Partner-MICT SETA | ||||
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY | NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK | |||
- | OQSF - Occupational Qualifications Sub-framework | |||
QUALIFICATION TYPE | FIELD | SUBFIELD | ||
Occupational Certificate | Field 10 - Physical, Mathematical, Computer and Life Sciences | Information Technology and Computer Sciences | ||
ABET BAND | MINIMUM CREDITS | PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL | NQF LEVEL | QUAL CLASS |
Undefined | 141 | Not Applicable | NQF Level 04 | Regular-Provider-ELOAC |
REGISTRATION STATUS | SAQA DECISION NUMBER | REGISTRATION START DATE | REGISTRATION END DATE | |
Registered | EXCO 0522/24 | 2022-06-21 | 2025-12-31 | |
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT | LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT | |||
2026-12-31 | 2029-12-31 |
In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise. |
This qualification does not replace any other qualification and is not replaced by any other qualification. |
PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION |
Purpose:
The purpose of this qualification is to prepare a learner to function as an Internet-of-Things Developer. An Internet-of-Things Developer coordinates all components of an Internet-of-Things (IoT) solution that includes sensors, devices, actuators, networks, and other infrastructure to aggregate and disseminate data, store the data on the cloud and make it available to the data scientist for decision making, thus being responsible for the full cycle from data collection to data delivery. A qualified learner will be able to: Rationale: In the broadest sense, the term Internet of Things (IoT) encompasses everything connected through the internet, but it is increasingly being used to define objects that "talk" to each other. Simply, the Internet of Things is made up of devices, from simple sensors to smartphones and wearables - connected together". The IoT is one of the fastest growing fields in the world of digitalisation. It was projected by Gartner that a total of 4.2 billion things would be connected by 2019 and a total of 25 billion in 2021. Moreover, the GSM Association predicted the growth of IoT devices to about 25.1 billion by 2025. This expectation presents a huge opportunity for businesses to harness data, optimise their operations and deliver more relevant experiences to users. South Africa will similarly be affected by the growth in IoT, and the MICT SETA recognises the need for a qualification to enable qualified to find employment and engage with IoT related matters. There is no similar qualification on the National Qualifications Framework. The above is recognised by the Presidential Commission on 4IR (PC4IR) when it states that "The central and urgent agenda as the country transitions into and attempts to shape the 4IR is the re-skilling and re-integration of this demographic. Indeed, the country must prioritise a human-centred agenda to the 4IR, thereby capitalising on the unique advantage of a youthful population; put simply, realising a dormant demographic dividend. To achieve the necessary advances, it is necessary to restructure the human development ecosystem, placing people at the centre." By centralising 4IR in human development, the qualification will have a positive socio-economic impact, especially amongst the youth who are growing up in a digital era and who can benefit from developments in this regard - in terms of developing their skills, secure employment and creating entrepreneurial opportunities. IoT has become an integral part of the life of the individual, providing advantages and benefits in terms of leisure, socialising, healthcare, better user experience, to name but a few. IoT is a big driver in big data analytics, providing magnitudes of data in real-time used for real-time decision making for various economic sectors. Healthcare, Agriculture and Manufacturing and many other industries will benefit immensely because of the availability of big data to help making well-versed, on-time decisions. For example, IoT enables real-time alerting, tracking, and monitoring, which permits hands-on treatments, better accuracy, apt intervention by doctors and improved complete patient care delivery results. This qualification aims to prepare those who engage in IoT in broad areas of sensors and sensor nodes, connectivity and networks and analytics and applications and in the process benefit the development of the ICT sector. This qualification, together with the cluster of qualifications newly developed through the MICT SETA, will contribute to fulfilling the recommendations of the Presidential Commission on the 4th Industrial Revolution (PC4IR). The PC4IR report forefronts human capital and the future of work and refers to growing skills instability. It states that work will change, and that robotic process automation (RPA) will play a more pivotal role in the execution of tasks. The 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) is a fusion of advances in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, process automation, the Internet of Things (IoT), genetic engineering, quantum computing, cyber security, cloud computing, and data science. Typical learners include school leavers, qualified learners from TVET colleges and those currently in employment without formal recognition of competencies. No professional registration or licencing is expected for an Internet-of-Things Developer to seek employment in the sector. Internet-of-Things Developers can be employed in any organisation as IoT Systems Administrators, IoT Practitioners, IoT/Cloud Software Developers, or IoT Infrastructure Architects. |
LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING |
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
RPL for Access to the Qualification: RPL for access to the external integrated summative assessment: Entry Requirements: The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is: |
RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? |
Y |
QUALIFICATION RULES |
This qualification is made up of compulsory Knowledge, Practical Skills and Work Experience Modules:
Knowledge Modules: Total number of credits for Knowledge Modules: 39 Practical Skill Modules: Total number of credits for Practical Skills Modules: 60 Work Experience Modules: Total number of credits for Work Experience Modules: 42 |
EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES |
1. Demonstrate knowledge to connect things to internet through gateways and edge technologies for communication.
2. Apply methods and procedures to maintain seamless connectivity and security of things in an IoT ecosystem throughout the entire lifecycle. 3. Interpret and apply operational requirements to accurately collect large amounts of unstructured data according to the requirements of the context, aggregate and disseminate data, and store data in cloud infrastructure or intermittent local storage data base in terms of the IoT solution. 4. Apply application programming interfaces (API) to integrate data with the existing systems for effective data usage. |
ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA |
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2: Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3: Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4: Integrated Assessment: Integrated Formative Assessment: The skills development provider will use the curriculum to guide them on the stipulated internal assessment criteria and weighting. They will also apply the scope of practical skills and applied knowledge as stipulated by the internal assessment criteria. This formative assessment together with work experience leads to entrance in the integrated external summative assessment. Integrated Summative Assessment: An external integrated summative assessment, conducted through the relevant QCTO Assessment Quality partner is required for the issuing of this qualification. The external integrated summative assessment will focus on the exit level outcomes and associated assessment criteria. The external integrated summative assessment will be conducted through a theoretical assessment and the evaluation of practical tasks at decentralised approved assessment sites in a simulated environment and conducted by an assessor(s) registered with the relevant AQP. |
INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY |
The Occupational Certificate: Internet-of-Things Developer was compared with the training provided in the India and United States of America to establish commonality and uniqueness.
India: The IoT Control Room Operator course is registered by the Indian Government under the National Skills Qualifications Framework as a level 5 Certificate. Anticipated volume of training required to complete the qualification is 310 hours that translate to 110 hours' theory and 200 hours practical. Individuals in this occupation are responsible for ensuring regular software and firmware updates for devices, monitoring working environment and making sure it meets requirements for health, safety and security. They will need to inculcate strong work ethic, maintain a healthy working environment, and provide data and information in standard formats for further processing. The entry requirements are stated as Graduate in any discipline preferably Science/ Computer Science / Electronics and Engineering / Information Technology. The purpose of the IoT Control Room Operator course is to help individuals to perform the support of command control centre operations and oversee the day-to-day activities of IoT solutions. The qualification will also provide them with the appropriate problem-solving ability, help them be better organised and apply good attention to detail. Learning outcomes includes: Similarities: All the above learning outcomes of the IoT Control Room Operator are covered in Occupational Certificate: IoT Developer content. Another similarity refers to an inclusion of both knowledge and practical skills components. Differences: The IoT Control Room Operator course includes aspects which are not included in the Occupational Certificate: IoT Developer and relate to: The IoT Control Room Operator course is shorter in terms of hours than the OC: IoT Developer which is justified in terms of the entry requirements stated as qualified learner in any discipline preferably Science / Computer Science / Electronics and Engineering /Information Technology. Qualifying learners from the IoT Control Room Operator will also assume a more managerial role, while the South African qualification is prepared for an entry level job. The OC: IoT Developer is at NQF Level 4 while the IoT Control Room Operator course is at National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF) Level 5. United State of America: The Florida International University presents a fully online undergraduate degree, the Bachelor of Science on the Internet of Things (IoT). The degree is summarised as offering learners the mastery needed for IoT engineer and IoT developer jobs and to be able to work on microcontrollers and sensors. In addition, they will be able to troubleshoot IoT devices as software engineers and will learn how to program smart devices. The IoT degree allows qualifying learners to apply their knowledge as wireless communication specialists and focus on how IoT devices communicate with each other. They will play a crucial role in interpreting the data generated by these devices and in the creation of business models. Graduates will also be well versed in cybersecurity, protecting data, keeping consumers safe from hackers and safeguarding organizations' liability as they ensure best practices. The course has a total of 120 credits which includes categories of modules from which learners may select various combinations. The B.Sc. Degree is aimed at matriculants. The categories include: In terms of this comparability study, a number of modules were selected as best practice. These are: Differences: In the case of the B.Sc. on the Internet of Things (IoT), learners will graduate as IoT Engineers, Software Engineers and IoT Developer which is a more senior position in the world of work, but in the case of the Occupational Certificate: IoT Developer, learners will become IoT developers on completion of the qualification, which is an entry level into the world of work in IoT. The B.Sc. degree course includes aspects on programming, entrepreneurship, forensics, and cyber security in contrast to the South African qualification. The mode of delivery is fully online in the case of the B.Sc. in Internet of Things (IoT) which is not the case with the OC: IoT Developer. The OC: IoT Developer has knowledge, practical skills and work experience modules which is not the case with the B.Sc. Degree. The B.Sc. Degree is aimed at matriculants while the entry requirements for the OC: IoT Developer is an NQF 3 qualification. Similarities: Similarities between the two qualifications refer mostly to the module content. Even though the B.Sc. is at a higher level and in terms of content more comprehensive, the Occupational Certificate: IoT Developer will smoothly articulate with the B.Sc. Degree. The Occupational Certificate: IoT Developer is a subset of the Degree program, as such our graduates can enrol into the B.Sc qualification and acquire the required credits and complete this degree. The modules with which there are similarities are: Conclusion This South African qualification compares favourably with the competencies covered in international qualifications cited above. |
ARTICULATION OPTIONS |
This qualification allows possibilities for both vertical and horizontal articulation.
Horizontal Articulation: Vertical Articulation: |
MODERATION OPTIONS |
N/A |
CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS |
N/A |
NOTES |
Qualifying for External Assessment:
To qualify for an external assessment, learners must provide proof of completion of all required modules by means of a statement of results and statement of work experience as well as proof of successful completion of the following subjects and modules or alternative programmes where applicable. Additional Legal or Physical Entry Requirements: Criteria for the Accreditation of Providers: Accreditation of providers will be done against the criteria as reflected in the relevant curriculum on the QCTO website. The curriculum title and code are: Internet-of-Things Developer: 251201-003-00-00. Encompassed Trades: Assessment Quality Partner: |
LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS QUALIFICATION: |
NONE |
PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS QUALIFICATION: |
This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here. |
NONE |
All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source. |