About Sfia foundation
Sfia Foundation: Empowering the IT Industry with Skills Framework for the Information Age
The Sfia Foundation is a non-profit organization that aims to empower the IT industry by providing a comprehensive skills framework for the information age. The foundation was established in 2000 and has since been dedicated to developing and maintaining the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA), which is widely recognized as one of the most valuable tools for managing and developing IT skills.
The new version of SFIA will be published on 28th September, marking a significant milestone in its evolution. This latest version builds on previous versions, incorporating feedback from users around the world, as well as reflecting changes in technology and business practices.
What is SFIA?
SFIA is a globally recognized framework that provides a common language for describing IT skills across different organizations, sectors, and countries. It enables organizations to identify their current skill levels, assess their future needs, plan their workforce development strategies, and benchmark themselves against industry standards.
SFIA covers over 100 different skills across seven levels of responsibility. These levels range from entry-level support roles to strategic leadership positions. Each skill has a detailed description that outlines its purpose, level of responsibility, typical activities involved, knowledge required, and proficiency indicators.
Why Use SFIA?
There are many reasons why organizations choose to use SFIA:
1) It provides clarity: By using SFIA's common language and definitions for IT skills across an organization or sector it helps ensure everyone understands what they are talking about when discussing job roles or career paths.
2) It supports workforce planning: By identifying current skill levels within an organization or sector it can help identify gaps in capability which can then be addressed through training or recruitment initiatives.
3) It enables benchmarking: By comparing an organization's capabilities against those defined by SFIA it can help identify areas where improvements could be made relative to other similar organizations or sectors.
4) It supports career development: By providing a clear framework for IT skills it can help individuals identify potential career paths and the skills they need to develop to progress.
5) It is widely recognized: SFIA is used by organizations across the world, including governments, industry bodies, and commercial enterprises. This means that it provides a common language for IT skills that is recognized globally.
How SFIA Works
SFIA works by providing a detailed description of each skill within its seven levels of responsibility. These descriptions are then used to assess an individual's proficiency in each skill area. The seven levels of responsibility are:
1) Follow: Carries out routine tasks under close supervision.
2) Assist: Carries out assigned tasks under general supervision.
3) Apply: Applies knowledge and skills to complete tasks independently.
4) Enable: Enables others to complete tasks through guidance or training.
5) Ensure/Advise: Ensures compliance with policies or advises on policy matters.
6) Initiate/Influence: Initiates projects or influences policies within defined parameters.
7) Set Strategy/Inspire/Mobilize: Sets strategy, inspires others, and mobilizes resources towards achieving goals.
Each level builds on the previous one, with increasing levels of responsibility and complexity. For example, at level 1 (Follow), an individual would be expected to carry out routine tasks under close supervision. At level 7 (Set Strategy/Inspire/Mobilize), an individual would be expected to set strategic direction for their organization or sector while inspiring others and mobilizing resources towards achieving goals.
The Future of SFIA
The new version of SFIA reflects changes in technology and business practices since the last update in 2018. It includes new skills such as "Cloud Computing" and "Artificial Intelligence," reflecting the growing importance of these areas in modern IT environments. It also includes updated descriptions for existing skills based on feedback from users around the world.
The Sfia Foundation is committed to ensuring that SFIA remains relevant and up-to-date in the rapidly changing IT landscape. It works closely with its global network of partners to ensure that SFIA continues to meet the needs of organizations and individuals across different sectors and countries.
Conclusion
The Sfia Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering the IT industry by providing a comprehensive skills framework for the information age. The Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA) provides a common language for describing IT skills across different organizations, sectors, and countries. It enables organizations to identify their current skill levels, assess their future needs, plan their workforce development strategies, and benchmark themselves against industry standards.
The new version of SFIA reflects changes in technology and business practices since the last update in 2018. It includes new skills such as "Cloud Computing" and "Artificial Intelligence," reflecting the growing importance of these areas in modern IT environments. The Sfia Foundation is committed to ensuring that SFIA remains relevant and up-to-date in the rapidly changing IT landscape.
By using SFIA's common language and definitions for IT skills across an organization or sector it helps ensure everyone understands what they are talking about when discussing job roles or career paths. This can help support workforce planning, enable benchmarking against other similar organizations or sectors, support career development opportunities for individuals within an organization or sector while also being widely recognized globally as a valuable tool for managing & developing IT skills.