Cambridge OCR · RQF Level 3
Cambridge OCR Level 3 Cambridge Technical Diploma in IT
You don’t just earn this. You learn to use it, one-to-one, on your own real work.
- LevelRQF Level 3
- Total credits120
- Guided learning720 hours
- Units in this qualification43
Awarded by Cambridge OCR · on the Ofqual register
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See how this course maps onto your role
Ten quick questions, one per Future Fluency, asked against this qualification rather than a generic one.
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What you’ll learn
What each unit actually teaches you to do
The Level 3 Cambridge Technical Diploma in IT is designed for learners looking to develop specialist skills in the digital technology sector. Learners will study areas such as web animation, IT systems troubleshooting, and computer game design. It provides a pathway to employment or further study in a range of IT-related roles.
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.
2D Animation ProductionReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the techniques used in the development of 2D animation
- Understand the development processes involved in 2D animation
- Devise a 2D animation concept, including a suitable soundtrack
- Produce a 2D animation, incorporating a chosen soundtrack
- Evaluate audience responses to own 2D animation work, identifying areas for improvement
Business ResourcesReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Know how human resources are managed within an organisation
- Know the legal requirements relating to the management of human resources
- Know the purpose of managing physical resources within an organisation
- Know the purpose of managing technological resources within an organisation
- Access different sources of finance for a business
- Know the advantages and disadvantages of different sources of finance
- Interpret key information presented in financial statements
- Analyse financial statements to assess business performance
Client Side Customisation of Web PagesReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the fundamental concepts of Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) and their role in web page design
- Understand the fundamental concepts of scripting languages, such as JavaScript, and their use in web development
- Control the layout of web pages using CSS, including positioning, styling, and responsive design techniques
- Create interactive web pages using scripting languages, incorporating user input and dynamic content
Cloud computing in businessReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand fundamental cloud computing concepts and terminology
- Understand different cloud computing models, including Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS)
- Understand the different cloud deployment models, including public, private, hybrid, and community clouds
- Understand the components of cloud computing infrastructure for organisations
- Understand how virtualisation technologies underpin cloud infrastructure
- Understand how to manage networks in a cloud computing environment
- Understand the principles of network security in the cloud
- Understand the requirements for data security and privacy in the Cloud
- Understand the importance of identity and access management in the cloud
- Understand the impact of cloud computing on IT service management (ITSM)
- Understand how cloud computing changes traditional IT roles and responsibilities
- Understand the benefits and challenges of adopting cloud computing for IT service management
Communication TechnologiesReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the communication principles of computer networks
- Know the main elements of data communications systems
- Implement different forms of network communications
Communication and Employability Skills for ITReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the personal attributes and qualities that employers value in the IT sector
- Understand the key principles of effective communication in a professional IT environment
- Use IT tools and technologies to communicate effectively with colleagues, clients, and stakeholders
- Identify and address personal development needs to enhance employability skills
Computer Game DesignReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the fundamental principles of computer game design
- Generate creative and innovative ideas for a game concept
- Prepare comprehensive game design documentation, including concept art, storyboards, and technical specifications
- Present a game concept effectively to stakeholders, incorporating feedback and suggestions
Computer Game Platforms and TechnologiesReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand different types of game platforms, including consoles, PCs, mobile devices, and virtual reality systems.
- Understand the hardware technologies used in game platforms, such as processors, graphics cards, memory, and input devices.
- Understand the software technologies used in game platforms, including operating systems, game engines, and programming languages.
- Connect and configure different game platforms and devices to enable gameplay, ensuring compatibility and optimal performance.
Computer NetworksReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Identify different types of network systems and protocols used in computer networks
- Describe the key components used in networking, including their functions and interrelationships
- Explain the services provided by network systems, such as file sharing, printing, and communication
- Implement security measures to protect networked systems from unauthorised access and cyber threats
Computer SystemsReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the components of computer systems, including hardware, software and peripherals, and their interrelationships.
- Recommend computer systems for a business purpose, justifying the selection based on business needs, budget and performance requirements.
- Set up and maintain computer systems, including installing hardware and software, configuring network settings and performing routine maintenance tasks.
Computer animationReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the different types of animation and their uses in various contexts
- Know the software techniques used in animation, including keyframing, tweening, and rendering
- Design and implement digital animations, incorporating appropriate techniques and principles
Data Analysis and DesignReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Know different modelling methodologies used in data analysis and design
- Understand the principles of logical data modelling, including entities, attributes, and relationships
- Produce logical data models based on given requirements and specifications
- Implement and test logical data models using appropriate software tools and techniques
Database DesignReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the key features of relational databases, including tables, relationships, and data integrity constraints.
- Design a relational database schema based on given requirements, specifying tables, columns, data types, and relationships.
- Create a relational database using a database management system (DBMS) and define tables, relationships, and constraints.
- Populate a relational database with data, ensuring data integrity and consistency.
- Test a relational database to verify its functionality, performance, and data integrity.
Developing Computer GamesReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the impact of the gaming revolution on society, considering its influence on culture, economy and social interaction.
- Know the different types of computer game, including their genres, platforms and target audiences.
- Design and develop computer games, applying appropriate programming techniques and design principles.
- Test and document computer games, ensuring functionality, usability and adherence to design specifications.
Developing a smarter planetReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the core concepts and characteristics of a 'smarter planet'
- Understand how the business environment is evolving in response to 'smarter planet' initiatives
- Understand how 'smarter planet' technologies could be further developed and applied in various contexts
Developing programming solutionsReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the software development process
- Develop a programming solution
- Understand validation and verification processes
- Produce a functional programming solution
- Document a programming solution
Digital GraphicsReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Know the hardware and software required to work with graphic images, including input devices, output devices, and image editing software
- Understand different types of graphic images, such as raster and vector graphics, and graphical file formats, such as JPEG, PNG, and GIF
- Use editing tools to edit and manipulate images, including adjusting brightness, contrast, colour, and sharpness
- Create and modify graphic images to meet user requirements, considering factors such as resolution, file size, and target audience
Digital Graphics for Interactive MediaReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the theory and applications of digital graphics technology
- Generate ideas for digital graphics for an interactive media product
- Create digital graphics for an interactive media product following industry practice
Exploring computer applicationsReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand key features of computer applications, including their functionality, user interface and data handling capabilities.
- Understand different uses for computer applications, considering their application in various industries and contexts.
- Develop a computer application, applying appropriate programming techniques and design principles to meet specified requirements.
- Document solutions for a computer application, providing clear and concise instructions for installation, usage and maintenance.
IT Systems Troubleshooting and RepairReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand how organisational policies and procedures can impact IT troubleshooting and repair activities
- Use appropriate diagnostic tools and techniques to identify IT problems effectively
- Select the most suitable fault remedies for specific IT system issues
- Apply fault remedies to IT systems in a safe and effective manner
IT Technical SupportReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the tools and techniques used for providing effective IT technical support
- Understand how organisational policies and procedures influence the delivery of technical support services
- Gather information from users to provide appropriate advice and guidance on technical issues
- Communicate technical advice and guidance clearly and effectively to users with varying levels of technical knowledge
Impact of the Use of IT on Business SystemsReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the effect of developments in information technology on organisations, considering factors such as efficiency, productivity and communication.
- Understand how organisations respond to information technology developments, including changes to infrastructure, processes and staffing.
- Propose improvements to business systems using IT, justifying the recommendations with reference to organisational needs and available technologies.
Information SystemsReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Explain how organisations use business information to support decision-making and strategic planning
- Analyse the issues related to the use of information, including data security, privacy, and ethical considerations
- Describe the features and functions of information systems, including data storage, processing, and retrieval
- Use IT tools to produce management information reports and presentations
Installing and Upgrading SoftwareReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand why software installations or upgrades are necessary, considering factors such as security, functionality, and compatibility
- Prepare for a software installation or upgrade, including backing up data, checking system requirements, and obtaining necessary licences
- Install or upgrade software according to manufacturer's instructions and best practices
- Understand the completion and handover process, including testing the software, documenting the installation, and providing user support
Interactive Media AuthoringReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the principles of interactive media authoring
- Devise an interactive media product
- Create an interactive media product following industry practice
Key computing concepts for IT solutionsReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Know key concepts of computing and programming used to design IT solutions
- Apply mathematical concepts to computing
- Understand developmental techniques for IT solutions
- Understand the developmental cycle for IT solutions
Maintaining Computer SystemsReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the organisational issues related to computer system maintenance within a specified context
- Plan computer system maintenance activities, considering relevant factors and constraints
- Perform routine housekeeping tasks on computer systems according to established procedures
- Monitor computer systems performance and implement improvements based on the analysis of performance data
Managing NetworksReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Know about networking management tools and technologies, including hardware, software and protocols used for network administration.
- Understand network management functions, such as monitoring, security, performance optimisation and troubleshooting.
- Carry out network management activities, applying appropriate tools and techniques to maintain network performance and security.
Networked Systems SecurityReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Know the different types of network attacks, such as malware, phishing, and denial-of-service attacks, and their potential sources.
- Know about security-related hardware, such as firewalls and intrusion detection systems, and software, such as antivirus programs and encryption tools.
- Understand the organisational aspects of network security, including security policies, risk assessments, and incident response plans.
- Apply system security measures, such as access controls, password policies, and software updates, to protect networked systems from threats.
Organisational Systems SecurityReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Assess the impact of potential threats to IT systems, including malware, phishing, and denial-of-service attacks
- Describe how organisations can keep systems and data secure through the implementation of security policies, procedures, and technologies
- Analyse the organisational issues affecting the security of IT systems, such as user awareness, training, and access control
Project Planning With ITReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand how projects are managed
- Plan projects using IT
- Follow project plans
- Review the project management process
Spreadsheet ModellingReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand how spreadsheets can be used to solve complex problems within a business or organisational context.
- Develop complex spreadsheet models using appropriate functions, formulas and data validation techniques.
- Automate spreadsheet models using macros and other automation tools to improve efficiency.
- Customise spreadsheet models to meet specific user requirements and organisational needs.
- Test spreadsheet models to ensure accuracy and reliability of results.
- Document spreadsheet models, including design specifications, formulas, and testing procedures.
System designReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand how system design tools are used in business system development
- Use system design tools in a business system
- Design system inputs and outputs
- Produce a documented prototype for a specified system
System development requirements and constraintsReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Describe the hardware methodologies and systems software used to support system development, including programming languages, databases, and operating systems
- Analyse the systems software and hardware constraints associated with system development, such as memory limitations, processing power, and compatibility issues
- Evaluate solutions to systems software and hardware constraints associated with system development, such as optimising code, upgrading hardware, and using virtualisation
- Use diagnostic tools to resolve systems software and hardware problems, such as debugging software, troubleshooting hardware failures, and analysing system logs
Systems analysisReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the requirements for system development, including user needs and business objectives
- Understand different system development methodologies (e.g., Waterfall, Agile)
- Understand the importance of documenting system requirements clearly and comprehensively
- Understand the different types of system requirements (e.g., functional, non-functional)
- Carry out a systems analysis to identify problems and opportunities
- Gather information from stakeholders to understand their needs
- Document the current system and identify areas for improvement
- Plan for a system development project, including defining scope, timelines, and resources
- Create a project plan for system development
The Business EnvironmentReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Know the range of different types of businesses, including sole traders, partnerships, and limited companies
- Know the different forms of business ownership and their characteristics
- Understand how businesses are organised to achieve their purposes, including organisational structures and functions
- Understand the roles and responsibilities of different departments within a business
- Know the impact of the economic environment on businesses, including factors such as inflation, interest rates, and unemployment
- Know how political factors impact on business, including government policies and regulations
- Know how legal factors impact on business, including employment law and consumer protection
- Know how social factors impact on business, including demographics, culture, and consumer behaviour
Understanding mobile technologyReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Identify the different channels and devices used with mobile technology, including smartphones, tablets, and mobile networks
- Explain the improvements to business activities created by mobile technologies, such as increased efficiency, improved communication, and enhanced customer service
- Describe how mobile technology can be used in various business models, including e-commerce, mobile marketing, and remote working
Understanding social media for businessReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the fundamental concepts of social media and its various platforms.
- Know how social media can be used effectively in a business environment for marketing, communication, and customer engagement.
- Know the benefits of using social media for business, including increased brand awareness, lead generation, and improved customer relationships, for an organisation.
Understanding the business analytics process for Big DataReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the concept of Big Data, including its characteristics (volume, velocity, variety, veracity, value)
- Understand the sources and types of Big Data
- Understand how Big Data is analysed by the business sector to gain insights
- Understand the different techniques used to analyse Big Data
- Understand the impact of business analytics on decision-making within organisations
- Understand the ethical considerations related to the use of Big Data and business analytics
Web Animation for Interactive MediaReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the uses of web animation in interactive media
- Understand the fundamental principles of web animation
- Devise a web animation concept that meets specified requirements
- Create a web animation using industry-standard software and techniques
- Adhere to industry best practices throughout the web animation creation process
Web Server ScriptingReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand the principles of web server scripting
- Use web server scripting
- Understand the issues affecting web server scripting
Website ProductionReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Understand web architecture and components, including servers, clients, browsers, and protocols
- Understand the factors that influence website performance, including bandwidth, server load, and code optimisation
- Design websites, considering factors such as usability, accessibility, and aesthetics
- Create websites using appropriate technologies, such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
e-CommerceReal unit · Cambridge OCR
What you'll be able to do
- Know the technologies required for an e-commerce system, including web servers, databases, payment gateways, and security protocols
- Understand the impact of e-commerce on organisations, including changes to business processes, marketing strategies, and customer service
- Understand the effects of e-commerce on society, including changes to consumer behaviour, employment patterns, and economic growth
- Plan e-commerce strategies, considering factors such as target market, product range, and competitive landscape
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.
Where this can lead
IT Support Specialist
Your career here isn't a fixed path; it's a journey you'll shape. We're committed to giving you the opportunities, training, and support to explore where your talents can take you, whether that's deeper into technical specialisation or into leadership. The key is your drive to learn and make an impact.
See the whole journey →Showing 6 roles, drawn from 70 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
This unit covers techniques and processes involved in 2D animation production. Learners will devise and produce a 2D animation with soundtrack, and evaluate audience responses to inform improvements.
- Remember
- Understand
- Apply
- Analyse
- Evaluate
- Create
Built for Cambridge OCR Level 3 Cambridge Technical Diploma in IT
43 units in this credential, in the order it lists them, awarded by Cambridge OCR.
- 2D Animation Production
- Business Resources
- Client Side Customisation of Web Pages
- Cloud computing in business
- Communication Technologies
- Communication and Employability Skills for IT
and 37 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.
Earned on your own work, taught to the top.
Everything you just read, learned one-to-one on the job you already do. Your first module is free, so you can see the teaching before you pay for any of it.
Build my plan, freeNo card. See how this qualification maps onto your role and meet the tutors who’d teach it, free. The learning begins when you subscribe. It’s £70 a month, billed monthly. Cancel any time and billing stops.