Another area of commonality is the underlying IT technical knowledge and use of technology tools. All eight career clusters describe some level of proficiency required in the following core IT technical areas:

• Software applications
• Programming
• Hardware
• Networking and operating system environments
• The Internet

Beyond the basic knowledge and application level, there is great variation in the depth and extent of the technical knowledge and tools required in each of the eight standards.

Core IT Technical Knowledge	Expert Level	Proficient Level
Software Applications	Database Admin. Associate Interactive Digital Media Specialist Technical Support Rep. Technical Writer	Information Systems Operator Network Specialist Programmer/ Analyst Software Engineer
Programming	Programmer/ Analyst Software Engineer Information Systems Operator	Database Admin. Associate Interactive Digital Media Specialist Network Specialist Technical Support Rep. Technical Writer
Hardware	Information Systems Operator Network Specialist Technical Support Rep	Programmer/ Analyst Software Engineer Database Admin. Associate Interactive Digital Media Specialist Technical Writer
Networking and Operating Systems	Information Systems Operator Network Specialist Technical Support Rep Programmer/ Analyst Software Engineer	Database Admin. Associate Interactive Digital Media Specialist Technical Writer
Internet	Technical Writer Interactive Digital Media Specialist	Database Admin. Associate Information Systems Operator Network Specialist Technical Support Rep Programmer/ Analyst Software Engineer

Curriculum Recommendation:

1. All IT programs should incorporate outcomes and competencies that address core IT Technical knowledge and tools.
2. The level of proficiency required and the emphasis within the technical content area will vary depending on the nature of the IT program.
3. See appendix for sample core outcomes, key competencies, and performance indicators.