Trainers set national quality controls for e-commerce training

Two national training organisations have launched an accreditation scheme for courses in e-commerce.

Anne Russell, chief executive of the Information Technology National Training Organisation (ITNTO) said: "We will be looking to accredit best practices currently that we see out there in training. We will be moving very quickly."

Ian Lorimer, chief executive of the telecommunications training organisation NTO Tele.com, said that an approval scheme for courses was already in place, and work had begun on a framework for standards.

Industry qualifications, demonstrating knowledge of specific software products, are likely to be among the first to be accredited. A National Vocational Qualification in e-commerce could come later.

The scheme was announced at the launch of Hyporium (www.hyporium.com) an e-commerce hub where businesses can shop for IT equipment among competing resellers. Hyporium claims it can set up a basic website for a reseller in six minutes. Though businesses can now get online without extensive IT knowledge, Mr Lorimer insisted that staff still need training for e-commerce. "You need to understand the ramifications of the actions being taken in selling or buying over the internet," he said.

E-commerce is changing fast and Mr Lorimer predicted that qualifications will be time-bound. Like a pilot's licence they will expire unless kept up to date. Curricula will be reviewed every 18 months to two years, he said.