Mobile Computing Device Technician

The purpose of this qualification is to prepare a learner to operate as a Mobile Computing Device Technician. A Mobile Computing Device Technician maintains, tests, diagnoses and repairs mobile communication devices including laptops, tablets, mobile phones, e-readers, wearables, accessories, and peripherals. A qualified learner will be able to: • Dismantle, inspect, assess, repair, and assemble hardware in tablets, mobile phones, e-readers, wearables, accessories, and peripherals. • Dismantle, inspect, assess, repair, and assemble hardware in laptops. • Optimise performance of tablets, mobile phones, e-readers, wearables, accessories, and peripherals. • Optimise performance of laptops. • Diagnose and repair software faults in tablets, mobile phones, e-readers, wearables, accessories, and peripherals. • Diagnose and repair software faults in laptops.

As the Fourth Industrial Revolution reshapes how we live, work, and communicate, it is impacting government, education, healthcare, commerce and almost every aspect of life. Mobile computing is at the heart of these changes and the development of the skills and knowledge to thrive in this environment has a great potential for job creation and poverty alleviation in South African communities. It will increase the potentiality of the mobile computing device technicians to be employed, while it will ensure the upward mobility of individuals with the entrepreneurial spirit to move confidently towards self-employment. Mobile phones are the device of choice to communicate with friends, family and workplace via the internet around the world. The market is in demand for enough qualified personnel to attend to various issues that arise with the usage and support of mobile computing devices. This qualification reflects the workplace-based needs of the mobile computing device field in the Republic of South Africa (RSA) that are expressed by the growing upward trend in the market. Currently, the mobile device repair environment is proliferated with individuals who are trained on the job without formal qualifications, hence the need for a formal qualification targeted at people who wish to join the mobile computing device repair industry, or those that are currently working in this industry as salespersons and repairers. They will be performing duties related to fault-finding, repair and maintenance of electronic equipment such as laptops, mobile phones, tablets, e-readers, wearables, accessories and peripherals. This qualification will empower the learners with the required skills that will allow them to enter this market of mobile devices with the skills and knowledge to work either in the sales stream or the technical stream. It will permit learners to increase their employability or become self-employed by starting their own small businesses with a potential of employing others. This qualification will benefit societies by ensuring better quality products and services. The sector will benefit from mobile device technicians with a set of competencies aligned to industry regulated standards for products and services. The economy will benefit from increased revenue due to increased employment opportunities and entrepreneurship due to emerging SMME's that will create employment and pay tax. It will also allow the country to embark on localisation of manufacturing of electronic devices and components, once there are enough skilled personnel capable of innovation locally. The availability of suitably qualified technicians will permit quick recovery for faulty computing devices by reducing business interruptions for individuals and businesses and allowing economic activities to carry on. Upon completion, the qualification will provide learners with opportunities for professional development and career advancement within the broader electronic computing device environment, including Mobile Computing Technicians, Senior Technicians, Team Leaders, Master Technicians, Sales Officers, Sales Representatives, Senior Sales Representatives, Mobile Repair Centre Managers, Mobile Devices Warehouse Managers. There is no professional registration needed for the Mobile Computing Device Technician. There are no similar qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF).

• Demonstrate the ability to remove, update and install software and firmware used for laptops according to manufacturer's specifications and procedures.
• Demonstrate the ability to remove, update and install software and firmware used for tablets, mobile phones, and e-readers, according to manufacturer's specifications and procedures.
• Demonstrate the ability to remove, update and install software and firmware used for wearables, accessories, or peripherals according to manufacturer's specifications and procedures.
• Demonstrate the ability to assess, dismantle, repair, and reassemble laptop hardware according to standard operating procedures.
• Demonstrate the ability assess, dismantle, repair, and reassemble tablets, mobile phones, or e-readers, hardware according to standard operating procedures.
• Demonstrate the ability to assess, dismantle, repair, and reassemble wearables, accessories, or peripherals hardware according to standard operating procedures.
• Demonstrate the ability diagnose and repair laptops according to standard operating procedures.
• Demonstrate the ability to diagnose and repair tablets, mobile phones, or e-readers according to standard operating procedures.
• Demonstrate the ability to diagnose and repair wearables, accessories, or peripherals according to standard operating procedures.