Cambridge OCR · Level 3
OCR Level 3 Certificate for IT Professionals
You don’t just earn this. You learn to use it, one-to-one, on your own real work.
- LevelLevel 3
- Units in this qualification45
Awarded by Cambridge OCR · on the Ofqual register
What you’ll learn
What each unit actually teaches you to do
The Level 3 Certificate for IT Professionals is a vocationally related qualification. It allows learners to develop skills in areas such as Java programming, software installation, and Windows-based application development. It is designed for those seeking to enhance their IT skills.
These are the units Cambridge OCR registers against this qualification. It is a catalogue, not a syllabus. Which of them you take depends on the combination the qualification requires, and that is set by the awarding body rather than by us. Every unit here is regulated, and every one you earn is yours to keep.
Create Designs for SoftwareReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the key design principles that underpin effective software development
- Create well-structured and documented software designs
- Know different software design methodologies and their application
- Document software designs using appropriate notations and standards
Create Software - Programming ConstructsReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand programming constructs, including variables, operators, and control flow
- Use variables and operators to perform calculations and manipulate data
- Implement conditional statements to control the flow of execution based on conditions
- Implement loops to repeat a block of code multiple times
- Write basic software programs that solve simple problems
Create Software Components - GenericReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the principles of modularity and reusability in software component design
- Create reusable software components that adhere to specified interfaces
- Test software components to ensure they meet functional and performance requirements
- Integrate software components into larger software systems
Creating Software Components - Fundamentals of JavaReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand Java fundamentals, including syntax, semantics, and the Java Virtual Machine
- Create Java components, such as classes, methods, and objects
- Use Java data types, including primitive types and reference types
- Implement control structures in Java, such as if-else statements, loops, and switch statements
Creating Software Components - Fundamentals of UnixReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the fundamental concepts and structure of the Unix operating system
- Create software components within the Unix environment
- Use Unix command-line tools for software development tasks
- Understand the Unix file system structure and file permissions model
Customer Support ProvisionReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the core principles of effective customer support
- Provide customer support in a professional and helpful manner
- Resolve customer issues efficiently and effectively
- Understand the recognised standards of customer service within the industry
- Communicate effectively with customers using appropriate methods
DHTI+Real unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand DHTI+ concepts and their application in a digital environment
- Know DHTI+ principles and their importance in achieving desired outcomes
- Apply DHTI+ techniques to improve digital processes and systems
- Understand the benefits of DHTI+ for organisations and individuals
- Implement DHTI+ methodologies within a digital project or organisation
Database DesignReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand fundamental database concepts and terminology
- Know different database models, including relational, NoSQL, and object-oriented models
- Design a database schema based on given requirements
- Implement a database design using a database management system
Designing and Implementing Databases with Microsoft Server TechnologiesReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand database design principles, including normalisation, data modelling, and indexing
- Design database schemas, including tables, relationships, and constraints, using Microsoft Server technologies
- Implement databases using Microsoft Server technologies, such as SQL Server, including creating tables, views, and stored procedures
- Implement database security, including user authentication, authorisation, and data encryption, using Microsoft Server technologies
- Optimise database performance, including query optimisation, indexing, and database tuning, using Microsoft Server technologies
Developing Web Services and Server Components with Microsoft TechnologiesReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the core concepts and architectures of web services
- Know the range of Microsoft technologies available for developing web services
- Develop functional web services using Microsoft technologies
- Develop server components to support web service functionality
- Understand the key security considerations for developing and deploying web services
Developing and Implementing Web Applications with Microsoft Visual Basic.Net and Microsoft Visual Studio.NetReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand web application development concepts, including client-side and server-side technologies
- Know Visual Basic.Net syntax and programming constructs
- Use Microsoft Visual Studio.Net to develop web applications
- Develop web applications using Visual Basic.Net and Microsoft Visual Studio.Net
- Implement web applications on a web server
Developing and Implementing Web Applications with Microsoft Visual C#.NET and Microsoft Visual Studio.NETReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the fundamental principles of web application development.
- Effectively utilise Visual C#.NET for web application development.
- Implement functional and efficient web applications using appropriate techniques.
- Debug web applications to identify and resolve errors.
- Understand different testing methodologies used in web application development.
Developing and Implementing Windows-based Applications with Microsoft Visual Basic.NET and Microsoft Visual Studio.NETReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the architecture and key components of the .NET framework.
- Use Visual Studio.NET to create, manage, and debug Windows-based applications.
- Develop Windows-based applications using Visual Basic.NET, incorporating appropriate design patterns and coding standards.
- Implement user interfaces in Windows-based applications using Visual Basic.NET, ensuring usability and accessibility.
- Debug and test applications developed in Visual Basic.NET to identify and resolve errors and ensure functionality.
Developing and Implementing Windows-based Applications with Microsoft Visual C#.NET and Microsoft Visual Studio.NETReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the .NET framework, its components, and its role in developing Windows applications
- Develop Windows applications using C# programming language, incorporating object-oriented principles
- Use Visual Studio .NET integrated development environment (IDE) for coding, debugging, and building applications
- Implement user interfaces using Windows Forms or WPF, incorporating controls and event handling
- Debug applications using Visual Studio .NET debugging tools to identify and resolve errors
Hardware/Equipment and Systems InstallationReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the procedures involved in installing hardware and equipment
- Install hardware and equipment according to given specifications
- Test hardware and equipment to ensure correct functionality
- Understand the processes involved in system installation
- Follow safety procedures during hardware, equipment and systems installation
IT Essentials II: Network Operating SystemsReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the fundamental concepts of network operating systems
- Configure essential network services on a network operating system
- Manage user accounts and permissions within a network environment
- Troubleshoot common network issues using appropriate tools and techniques
- Understand the core principles of network security and their implementation
Implementing, Managing, and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Network InfrastructureReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand fundamental network infrastructure concepts, including topologies, protocols, and addressing schemes.
- Implement a Microsoft Windows network infrastructure, including server and client configuration.
- Manage a Microsoft Windows network, including user accounts, group policies, and network resources.
- Maintain a Microsoft Windows network, including applying updates, monitoring performance, and ensuring security.
- Troubleshoot common network issues within a Microsoft Windows environment.
Installing, Configuring and Administering Microsoft Windows ProfessionalReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Install Windows Professional operating system on a computer
- Configure Windows Professional, including user accounts, network settings, and system preferences
- Administer Windows Professional, managing user access, security policies, and system updates
- Understand Windows security features, including user authentication, access control, and data encryption
- Troubleshoot common Windows issues, such as software conflicts and hardware failures
Installing, Configuring and Administering Microsoft Windows ServerReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand Windows Server installation processes, including hardware requirements and installation options
- Configure Windows Server settings, such as networking, security, and storage
- Administer Windows Server, including user management, resource allocation, and system monitoring
- Understand server roles and features, such as Active Directory, DNS, and DHCP
- Troubleshoot server issues, including performance problems, connectivity issues, and security breaches
Installing, Configuring, and Administering Microsoft WindowsReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the principles and processes involved in installing Microsoft Windows operating systems.
- Configure Microsoft Windows operating systems according to specified requirements.
- Administer Microsoft Windows operating systems, including user management and resource allocation.
- Troubleshoot common issues encountered during the installation, configuration, and administration of Microsoft Windows.
- Understand the fundamental security principles relevant to Microsoft Windows operating systems and their implementation.
Introduction to JavaReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the core concepts of Java programming, including object-oriented principles and syntax.
- Write basic Java programs, demonstrating an understanding of program structure and execution.
- Use variables and data types effectively in Java programs to store and manipulate data.
- Implement control structures in Java, such as loops and conditional statements, to control program flow.
Investigate Requirements for Software SolutionsReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand methods for gathering software requirements from stakeholders and other sources
- Analyse user needs to determine functional and non-functional requirements for software solutions
- Document software requirements in a clear, concise, and structured manner
- Know different software development lifecycles and their impact on requirements gathering and management
Java ProgrammingReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand Java programming concepts, including object-oriented programming principles
- Write Java code that adheres to coding standards and best practices
- Use Java libraries to perform common tasks
- Debug Java programs using debugging tools and techniques
- Create Java applications with graphical user interfaces or command-line interfaces
LAN Switching and WirelessReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand fundamental LAN switching concepts, including VLANs, spanning tree protocol, and port security
- Know the various wireless networking standards, such as 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax, and their characteristics
- Configure LAN switches, including setting up VLANs, configuring port security, and implementing spanning tree protocol
- Implement wireless security measures, such as WPA2/3 encryption and access control lists
- Troubleshoot network connectivity issues in both wired and wireless LAN environments, using appropriate tools and techniques
Linux+Real unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the core concepts of the Linux operating system
- Use Linux commands to perform various tasks
- Configure Linux systems to meet specific requirements
- Understand the security features available in Linux and how to implement them
- Manage Linux users and permissions to ensure system security
Maintain Equipment and SystemsReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the principles of equipment maintenance, including preventative and corrective maintenance
- Diagnose equipment faults using appropriate tools and techniques
- Maintain equipment and systems according to manufacturer specifications and industry best practices
- Understand health and safety requirements related to equipment maintenance and safe working environments
- Accurately document maintenance activities, including fault diagnosis, repair procedures, and parts replacement
Managing and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows EnvironmentReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand Windows operating system concepts, including the kernel, file system, registry, and services
- Manage user accounts in a Windows environment, including creating, modifying, and deleting accounts, and assigning permissions
- Configure system settings in Windows, such as network settings, display settings, and power management settings
- Troubleshoot common Windows issues, such as blue screen errors, application crashes, and slow performance
- Maintain system security in a Windows environment, including installing security updates, configuring firewalls, and implementing anti-virus software
Network +Real unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand different network topologies, including their advantages and disadvantages
- Know the functions of network hardware and software components, such as routers, switches, and firewalls
- Configure network devices to meet specific network requirements
- Troubleshoot network problems, using diagnostic tools and techniques
- Understand network security concepts, including firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and VPNs
Network FundamentalsReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand different network topologies and protocols used in modern networks
- Configure network devices such as routers and switches
- Troubleshoot network connectivity issues using appropriate diagnostic tools
- Understand IP addressing and subnetting schemes for network segmentation
- Understand the fundamental principles of network security and common security measures
Planning and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server Network InfrastructureReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand network infrastructure planning considerations for a Windows Server environment
- Implement a Windows Server network according to organisational requirements
- Maintain a Windows Server network to ensure connectivity and performance
- Understand network security principles and their application in a Windows Server environment
- Know troubleshooting methods for diagnosing and resolving network issues in a Windows Server environment
Planning, Implementing and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server InfrastructureReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand Windows Server infrastructure planning considerations for an organisation
- Implement a Windows Server infrastructure according to best practices
- Maintain a Windows Server infrastructure to ensure optimal performance and reliability
- Understand security considerations for protecting a Windows Server infrastructure from threats
- Know troubleshooting techniques for resolving issues within a Windows Server infrastructure
Principles of Planning Telecoms ServicesReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the fundamental principles of planning telecoms services for businesses
- Know the range of telecoms service options available, including broadband, mobile, and VoIP
- Plan telecoms services to meet specific business needs, considering cost and performance
- Understand relevant regulations and standards relating to telecoms services
- Evaluate telecoms solutions, assessing their suitability and effectiveness
Programming with SQLReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand SQL syntax and data types for defining and manipulating data in relational databases
- Write SQL queries to retrieve, filter, and sort data from one or more tables
- Manipulate data using SQL statements to insert, update, and delete records
- Design database schemas, including tables, relationships, and constraints, to meet specific requirements
- Understand database security principles, including user authentication, authorisation, and data encryption
Repair Centre ProceduresReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the procedures commonly used in a repair centre environment
- Follow health and safety procedures within a repair centre
- Diagnose faults in equipment and systems effectively
- Complete repairs to equipment and systems to a satisfactory standard
- Understand the quality control processes used to ensure repair quality
Routing Protocols and ConceptsReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the purpose and operation of various routing protocols used in computer networks
- Know fundamental routing concepts, including distance-vector and link-state routing
- Configure routing protocols on network devices, such as routers and switches
- Troubleshoot routing issues, identifying and resolving network connectivity problems
- Understand the characteristics and applications of different routing algorithms
Security+Real unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand common security threats and vulnerabilities that can affect IT systems
- Implement security controls to mitigate security risks
- Identify potential security risks within an IT infrastructure
- Respond effectively to security incidents, following established procedures
- Understand the importance of security policies and procedures in maintaining a secure environment
Server+Real unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the fundamental components of server hardware and software
- Configure server settings to meet specific requirements
- Troubleshoot server issues and implement appropriate solutions
- Understand the key principles of server security and data protection
- Maintain server performance through regular monitoring and optimisation
Service Delivery, Planning and ControlReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the key principles of effective service delivery in an IT context
- Plan service delivery activities to meet customer requirements
- Control service delivery processes to ensure efficiency and effectiveness
- Understand the importance of resource management in service delivery
- Understand the role of quality assurance in ensuring high-quality service delivery
Software InstallationReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand software installation processes, including pre-installation checks and post-installation tasks
- Prepare for software installation by gathering necessary information and resources
- Install software according to vendor instructions and organisational policies
- Configure software settings to meet user requirements and system specifications
- Test software installation to ensure functionality and compatibility
Support ICT AcquisitionReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the fundamental principles underpinning ICT acquisition processes within organisations
- Evaluate an organisation's ICT needs, considering current infrastructure and future requirements
- Support the ICT procurement process, including vendor selection and contract negotiation
- Implement ICT solutions effectively, ensuring seamless integration with existing systems
- Understand relevant legislation and guidelines relating to ICT acquisition and data protection
System TestingReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand system testing methodologies, including black box testing, white box testing, and grey box testing
- Know different types of system tests, such as functional testing, performance testing, security testing, and usability testing
- Plan system testing activities, including defining test objectives, creating test cases, and allocating resources
- Execute system tests, following established procedures and documenting test results
- Document test results accurately and comprehensively, including identifying defects and providing recommendations for improvement
System and Network ManagementReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the fundamental principles of system and network management
- Monitor system performance to identify potential issues
- Troubleshoot network issues and implement effective solutions
- Understand network security protocols and how to implement them
- Manage user accounts and access rights to ensure system security
Test Software SystemsReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand software testing principles, including test planning, test case design, and test execution
- Create test plans that define the scope, objectives, and resources for software testing
- Execute software tests, including unit tests, integration tests, and system tests
- Document test results, including defects, test coverage, and test summary reports
- Understand different testing methodologies, such as black-box testing, white-box testing, and agile testing
WAN TechnologiesReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand WAN technologies and protocols, including MPLS, Frame Relay, and VPNs
- Know different WAN connection types, such as leased lines, broadband, and satellite
- Configure WAN devices, such as routers and modems, to establish and maintain WAN connections
- Troubleshoot WAN connectivity issues, such as packet loss, latency, and bandwidth limitations
- Understand WAN security considerations, such as encryption, firewalls, and intrusion detection systems
Wireless LANsReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand wireless LAN standards, including 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax and their respective characteristics and applications
- Know wireless security protocols, such as WEP, WPA, WPA2, and WPA3, and their strengths and weaknesses
- Configure a wireless LAN, including setting up an access point, configuring security settings, and managing client connections
- Troubleshoot wireless connectivity issues, such as signal strength problems, interference, and authentication failures
- Understand wireless LAN deployment considerations, such as site surveys, channel selection, and antenna placement
The honest bit
You’ve started things before
Most courses were built for a room full of people who aren’t you. A cohort moves on whether or not your week allowed it, and by the third week the thing you’re behind on becomes the reason you stop opening it.
There’s no cohort here, and no timetable to fall behind. Before anything starts, Zavmo asks when you’re sharpest and how long you can realistically sit down for, then builds the sessions around those answers. A bad fortnight changes your pace. It doesn’t put you behind.
And you only pay once you start learning. Searching and planning are free, and you can cancel any time — so the cost of finding out is an afternoon, not a year.
Your passport
Every credit is a stamp you keep
Level 3 credits are regulated. They don’t vanish when a subscription ends or a website closes. They travel to any employer, and Zavmo keeps the map of what you’ve earned and what’s next.
Each stamp is a real unit registered against this qualification.
Who’d teach you this

The Evidence Evaluator
Assessor
Helps you show what you can actually do, gathering the evidence that proves it as you learn.
Meet all twelve tutorsWhere this connects
Where these credits take you
A qualification is never a dead end here. See the jobs its credits open, the national occupational standards its units map to, and the future skills they quietly build.
- Analyse and interpret the results of software testing activities
- Assist in Implementing Vulnerability Assessment Processes
- Assist in Security Testing Under Supervision Effectively
- Authorise strategy, policies and standards relating to IT service delivery performance metrics management
- Carry out software design
- Carry out software requirements engineering
- Develop Network Infrastructure Service Plans
- Develop detailed test plans
Where this can lead
Customer Support Professional
Your journey here is really what you make of it. We're committed to helping you grow, whether that's becoming a leader, a deep technical specialist, or even moving into another part of the business. We'll give you the tools and opportunities; the rest is up to you.
See the whole journey →Showing 6 roles, drawn from 82 job records mapped to this qualification.
Skills it covers
What the job actually needs. These are the standards the units are built against, in the words employers and awarding bodies already use for the work itself.
How you’ll actually learn this
One-to-one, on your own real work
A qualification is usually something done to you: sit the class, sit the exam, hope it sticks. Here it’s the opposite. You learn it one-to-one with a companion, on your own real work, and you keep going until you can use it, not just recall it.
Applied to your work in any of these jobs
Learners will study software design principles and methodologies to create well-structured software designs. The unit covers modularity, abstraction, cohesion, coupling, user interface design principles, and documentation of software designs using appropriate notations and standards.
- Remember
- Understand
- Apply
- Analyse
- Evaluate
- Create
Built for OCR Level 3 Certificate for IT Professionals
45 units in this credential, in the order it lists them, awarded by Cambridge OCR.
- Create Designs for Software
- Create Software - Programming Constructs
- Create Software Components - Generic
- Creating Software Components - Fundamentals of Java
- Creating Software Components - Fundamentals of Unix
- Customer Support Provision
and 39 more in the full unit list below.
One to one, not one to many
No two people run this the same way
A course is written once and handed to everyone. This is assembled around you, and keeps changing as it learns you. Five things it reads, and what each one changes.
- Your actual work Every unit is taught against a live piece of your own work, not a worked example from a textbook.
- What you already know The first conversation finds your starting point, so you skip what you can already do and spend the time on what you cannot.
- The conditions you learn under Not a learning-styles quiz. The evidence does not support those. The dimensions the research does back, read once and used to shape the plan.
- How far you got last time It picks up mid-thought. The tutor knows what you said, what you struggled with, and what it asked you to try.
- Which tutor suits the moment Twelve of them, each for a different kind of thinking. The one who walks you through a first idea is not the one who stress-tests it.
See how you learn, free. Eight questions, no sign-up. A directional taster; the diagnostic inside Zavmo goes deeper and keeps adapting.
Why it sticks
Most courses stop at remembering
There’s a well-known ladder of how deeply you learn something, called Bloom’s Taxonomy. Most courses get you up the first two rungs: you remember some facts, you pass a test, you forget it. Real skill lives at the top. Judging, deciding, creating. And this isn’t a generic ladder: every rung has a named Zavmo tutor who walks you up it.
- 6CreateThe Creative Catalyst
- 5EvaluateThe Evidence Evaluator
- 4AnalyseThe Analyst
- 3ApplyThe Coach
- 2UnderstandThe Connector
- 1RememberThe Builder
Where most courses leave you Where Zavmo takes you
The value
Why the companion is worth £70 a month
You’re not paying for the units. They’re regulated, and the same wherever you earn them. You’re paying for the one thing that decides whether you actually get there: a companion that makes them stick, on your real work.
That is one-to-one on this qualification, every day, on the work you already do, for £70 a month. Your first module is free, so you can see the teaching before you pay for any of it. Billed monthly, cancel any time and billing stops.
This qualification is no longer awarded.
Registrations for it closed some time ago, so it cannot be started today. It appears here because it is on the Ofqual register and may be one you already hold. If you are looking for a current route, browse the qualifications that are still open.
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