This document outlines the skills, knowledge, and abilities required for the job of an IT Network Systems Administrator. It is divided into 7 sections that describe key responsibilities such as troubleshooting (25%), installing and configuring operating systems (25%), and configuring networking devices (25%). The document provides details on tasks involved in each section, such as selecting the appropriate operating system, following installation instructions, and designing network security configurations. It also lists general requirements around work organization, communication skills, and providing user support.
2. THE WORLDSKILLS STANDARDS SPECIFICATION
(WSSS)
GENERAL NOTES ON THE WSSS
The WSSS specifies the knowledge, understanding and specific skills that underpin international best practice in
technical and vocational performance. It should reflect a shared global understanding of what the associated
work role(s) or occupation(s) represent for industry and business (www.worldskills.org/WSSS).
The skill competition is intended to reflect international best practice as described by the WSSS, and to the
extent that it is able to. The Standards Specification is therefore a guide to the required training and preparation
for the skill competition.
In the skill competition the assessment of knowledge and understanding will take place through the assessment
of performance. There will not be separate tests of knowledge and understanding.
The Standards Specification is divided into distinct sections with headings and reference numbers added.
Each section is assigned a percentage of the total marks to indicate its relative importance within the Standards
Specification. The sum of all the percentage marks is 100.
The Marking Scheme and Test Project will assess only those skills that are set out in the Standards Specification.
They will reflect the Standards Specification as comprehensively as possible within the constraints of the skill
competition.
The Marking Scheme and Test Project will follow the allocation of marks within the Standards Specification to
the extent practically possible. A variation of five percent is allowed, provided that this does not distort the
weightings assigned by the Standards Specification.
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3. WORLDSKILLS STANDARDS SPECIFICATION
SECTION RELATIVE
IMPORTANCE
(%)
1 Work organization and management 5
The individual needs to know and understand:
• Health and safety legislation, obligations, regulations and documentation
• The situations when personal protective equipment (PPE) must be used
e.g. for ESD (electrostatic discharge)
• The purposes, uses, care, maintenance, safe handling and storage of
equipment in an ESD friendly environment
• The importance of integrity and security when dealing with user
equipment and information
• The importance of safe disposal of waste for re-cycling
• The techniques of planning, scheduling and prioritizing
• The significance of accuracy, checking and attention to detail in all
working practices
• The importance of methodical working practices
• Research methods and techniques
• The value of managing own continuing professional development
• The speed of IT systems change and the need to maintain currency
The individual shall be able to:
• Follow health and safety standards, rules, and regulations
• Maintain a safe working environment
• Identify and use the appropriate personal protective equipment for ESD
• Select, use, clean, maintain and store tools and equipment safely and
securely
• Plan the work area to maximize efficiency and maintain the discipline of
regular tidying
• Regularly schedule and re-schedule and multi-task according to changing
priorities
• Work efficiently and check progress and outcomes regularly
• Undergo various certification requirements, such as: Cisco, Microsoft and
Linux
• Keep up-to-date with ‘license to practice’ requirements and maintain
currency
• Demonstrate thorough and efficient research methods to support
knowledge growth
• Demonstrate enthusiasm to try new methods, systems and embrace
change
• Work effectively as a member of a project team
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4. 2 Communication and Interpersonal Skills 5
The individual needs to know and understand:
• The importance of listening as part of effective communication
• The roles and requirements of colleagues and the most effective
methods of communication
• The importance of building and maintaining productive working
relationships with colleagues and managers
• Techniques for effective team work
• Techniques for resolving misunderstandings and conflicting demands
• The process for managing tension and anger to resolve difficult
situations
The individual shall be able to:
• Demonstrate strong listening and questioning skills to deepen
understanding of complex situations
• Manage consistently effective verbal and written communications with
colleagues
• Recognize and adapt to the changing needs of colleagues
• Pro-actively contribute to the development of a strong and effective
team
• Share knowledge and expertise with colleagues and develop a
supportive learning culture
• Effectively manage tension/anger and give individuals confidence that
their problems can be resolved
3 User Support and Consultancy 5
The individual needs to know and understand:
• The features of a defined range of IT systems to enable a good breadth
of support
• Planning and scheduling techniques to facilitate a consistently high level
of service, to meet the needs of the user and the organization
• Different demonstration and presentation techniques to support the
development of users’ skills and knowledge
• Different methods of assessing user’s abilities in order to support
immediate needs and encourage personal development
• Coaching techniques to meet individual learning styles
• Trends and developments in the industry and types of improvement
which could be introduced to the user
• Negotiation techniques for different situations e.g. a project tender
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5. The individual shall be able to:
• Pro-actively maintain currency of IT systems knowledge
• Respond appropriately within target time-scales, to users within an
organization and those based remotely, in order to provide the
appropriate level of IT support
• Plan, schedule, prioritize and regularly re-prioritize requests for IT
support in order to meet and balance the needs of the individual and the
organization
• Accurately determine user requirements and effectively manage
expectations
• Produce a cost and time estimate for work to be completed
• Select appropriate demonstration techniques to suit different levels of
experience/capability
• Effectively demonstrate IT systems to individuals and teams to enable
them to grow their skills and knowledge
• Successfully coach individuals ‘face-to-face’ and remotely to resolve IT
problems, introduce new products and develop their skills and
knowledge
• Recognize opportunities to contribute ideas to improve the product and
overall level of user satisfaction
• Provide accurate up-to-date advice on up-grading and sourcing new IT
products and services to support decision-making
• Translate needs, making recommendations which meet requirements
e.g. budgets
• Contribute to bids and tenders for projects
4 Troubleshooting 25
The individual needs to know and understand:
• The importance of a calm and focused approach in solving a problem
• The significance of IT systems and the dependency of individuals and
organizations on its constant availability
• The common types of hardware/software errors which can occur
• Diagnostic and analytical approaches to problem solving
• Boundaries of own knowledge/skills/authority and sources of
support/escalation procedures
• Standard resolution times for common problems
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6. The individual shall be able to:
• Approach a problem with the appropriate level of confidence to calm
the user as necessary
• Check work regularly to prevent/minimize problems at a later stage
• Challenge incorrect information to prevent/minimize problems
• Demonstrate resilience and persistence when dealing with problems
• Recognize and understand problems swiftly and follow a self-reliant and
managed process for resolving
• Thoroughly investigate and analyse complex problems/situations and
apply fault finding processes
• Select and use diagnostic software and tools to identify problems
• Support users in resolving problems through advice, guidance and
instruction
• Seek support when further expertise is necessary and avoid temptation
to ‘be consumed’ by the challenge of the problem
• Check user satisfaction level after a problem has been addressed
• Accurately record problem and provide resolution report
5 Design 10
The individual needs to know and understand:
• Network environments and topologies
• Logical and functional diagrams
• The types and location requirements of active network devices e.g.
routers and switchers
• Security options and their impact
• Address schemes
• Configuration documentation required e.g. installation instructions
The individual shall be able to:
• Discuss the technical design requirements for operating systems and
networking devices at the appropriate level of responsibility and
accountability within the client organization
• Give knowledgeable/best advice and possible solutions to customer to
meet technical and security requirements
• Accurately transfer the customer wishes to a logical diagram
• Prepare configuration documentation
• Undertake pre-acceptance testing of the concept
• Prepare a document and get sign off
6 Install, Up-grade and Configure Operating Systems 25
The individual needs to know and understand:
• The range of operating systems and their abilities to match particular
user requirements
• The process for selecting the appropriate driver for different kinds of
hardware
• The basic functions of the hardware and the process for setting-up
• The importance of following instructions and the consequences/costs of
not adhering to them
• The precautions that need to be actioned before an installation or an up-
grade
• The purpose of documenting the completion of the installation or up-
grade
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7. The individual shall be able to:
• Closely listen, translate and accurately identify user needs to ensure
expectations are met
• Select the operating system: proprietary/open source
• Accurately identify the hardware and appropriate software driver
required to match user/manufacturer specifications
• Consistently check manufacturers guidance for up-grading regarding
‘work flow’
• Select the roles and/or features of the operating/server system e.g. Active
Directory Domain Services (role) and Window Server Back-up (feature)
• Discuss the proposed solution for role/feature and agree with relevant
parties e.g. users, colleagues and managers
• Prepare a technical document reflecting the solution in detail for
agreement and sign-off
• Configure the appropriate role/feature following manufacturer’s
instructions or best practice within the organization
• Test and rectify any problems and re-test as appropriate
• Gain user acceptance and record
7 Configuring Networking Devices 25
The individual needs to know and understand:
• Networking environments
• Networking protocols e.g. IPv6
• The process for building a network and how network devices can be
configured to enable efficient communication
• The range of network devices e.g. routers, VoIP, IP devices e.g. security
cameras, printers, wireless access points, inter- networking connectivity
The individual shall be able to:
• Interpret user demands and design requirements to industry certification
requirements
• Apply all types of different configurations, including software and
hardware upgrades, on all kinds of networking devices that can appear
in a network environment to include: Routing protocols, Network
Security, Wi-Fi, VoIP etc.
• Design and implement disaster recovery procedures
• Maintain configuration records
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