Accenture Open Education Pilot Frequently Asked Questions

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What is Accenture Open Education? Accenture Open Education is being developed as an online, global, open access training program aimed at giving students and recent graduates the skills and knowledge they require to be successful as entry level IT professionals in companies such as Accenture. The objective of this program is to build a comprehensive and openly available training program that enables anyone with an interest and aptitude for technology to get skilled and job ready for a career in the IT field. The program is being targeted mainly at audiences who have completed at least two years of post secondary education at a college/university, are interested in technology and want to pursue a career as an IT professional. This program is being created by leading experts from industry and academia, and provides training across 4 core areas of Computing, Computer Science, Software Engineering and Professional Development. Participants also have the option of taking training in English Language through this program. The program is being designed to prepare participants for the Software Developer Certification, a vendor-neutral certification being offered through SPACES (Software Professional Accreditation and Certification Examination Services), an affiliate of Carnegie Mellon University. Accenture Open Education pilot participants who complete the training, pass the online assessments, pass the Software Developer Certification exam, and who also meet our basic recruiting criteria will be guaranteed an interview with Accenture.

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Why is this being called a pilot? Accenture Open Education has not yet been launched to the public. Before we launch the program, we want to test it out with a small group of students and recent graduates. This pilot exercise serves as our primary test to ensure that the training, platform, and communications are as effective as possible. As such, we will be very keen to hear your feedback throughout the exercise and welcome all comments and suggestions you have as to how we can make Accenture Open Education a valuable resource for students and recent graduates alike. Why was I asked to participate? The Accenture Open Education pilot participants were chosen from groups of students and recent graduates in India, China, Mauritius, the Philippines and South Africa. Please note that not all students from your college/university were invited to participate. At this stage, access to the website and enrollment in the training program is restricted and so we request you to refrain from forwarding information about this program to others. Do I have to participate?

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No, it is not mandatory for you to participate. Does completing the training have any implications on a potential offer of employment from Accenture? No, completion of the Accenture Open Education training by itself will have no implications on any potential offer of employment with Accenture. However, once you have taken the Accenture Open Education training and passed the online assessments for each course component, you may choose to take a formal, proctored exam to earn the Software Developer Certification. Accenture will help facilitate the delivery of the certification exam in India, Mauritius, the Philippines and South Africa. Participants who earn the Certification and meet Accentures basic recruiting criteria will be guaranteed an interview with Accenture. These participants will be interviewed as part of the campus recruitment drive for the 2014 academic batch. Note this is not a guarantee of employment, but an opportunity to go through the selection process and be considered for a job.

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What kind of training will be available through the Accenture Open Education pilot? The Accenture Open Education pilot site will include training in Computing, Computer Science, Software Engineering and Professional Development. All four of these areas are essential to building a career in the IT field. There is also the option for you to take training in English Language. More detail on the curriculum is provided below. Computing - Covers the fundamentals of computing modules include History of Computers, The Internet, Computing in the Business World, Computer Programming Landscape. Computer Science - Teaches the theoretical framework for computer science together with practical, interactive exercises in programming, using Javascript. Software Engineering - Modules include Introduction to Software, Intro to the Software Development Model and Process, Plan & Analyze, Design & Build, Test, and Maintain. Professional Development - Wide range of courses including Communicating for Results, Being an Effective Team Member, Professional Presence, Networking and Staying Connected, Time Management, Problem Solving and Dealing with Change. English - World class training in English language (reading, writing, listening and speaking) provided by English First, one of the global leaders in the provision of English training. Note: The Computing and Professional Development courses are ready now. The Software Engineering courses will be ready shortly. More information regarding the availability of the Computer Science courses will be available in the coming days.

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How much time is required? It is estimated that training will take 110 hours to complete*. The detailed break up is as follows: o Computing 4 hours o Computer Science 80 hours o Software Engineering 6 hours o Professional Development 20 hours o English Language as needed

The estimated time to complete all core training content is 110 hours; this assumes that a participant goes through every module and completes all recommended reading, offline exercises and assessments. This does not include any time the participant chooses to spend on English Language training. *Please note! The total time to complete the coursework will vary by individual and is highly dependent upon overall fluency with English and prior academic background. We hope our pilot process will help us to better understand just how much time this training will truly take to complete. Q A Q A What if I want to take the training but dont want to sit for the certification exam? The decision to sit for the certification exam is completely up to the participant. Can I still apply for a job at Accenture via the campus placement drive if I dont participate in the pilot, or if I participate but dont take or dont pass the certification exam? Yes, as participation in the pilot is voluntary, it will not impact your eligibility to apply for a job at Accenture during the 2014 academic batch recruitment. When does the pilot end? How long do I have to complete the training? th The period you have to complete the training extends up till 30 April 2013, however, we are targeting mid March for delivery of the certification exam. Participants wishing to take the certification exam will want to have completed the training in advance of sitting for the exam. Must I complete all of the training? If you complete the full training curriculum you will gain relevant skills and knowledge across all of the key areas relevant to aspiring Technology professionals. Completion of the training will also enable you to register for the Software Developer certification exam. Will I be assessed as part of this training? Yes we will ask you to complete self-assessments to measure your understanding of the content across the Professional Development, Computing, and Software Engineering areas. These assessments will be made available to you through the online platform once you have completed the training. You may take them as many times as you wish, we recommend you continue to work through the assessments until your results indicate that you have understood the key learning objectives of the courses. Why should I participate in the Accenture Open Education pilot? You will benefit from this program in a couple of ways. First, this exercise will provide you with access to high quality training, created and endorsed by both academic and industry experts, covering the technical and professional skills relevant to entry level IT roles across the IT industry. Those who go on to take the Software Developer Certification will also stand to earn recognition for knowledge and skills gained via an externally relevant certification which will help you as you explore career opportunities in the IT industry. Pilot participants who take the training, pass the online assessments and pass the Software Developer Certification exam, and who also meet our basic recruiting criteria, will be guaranteed an interview with Accenture. Second, you will have the opportunity to play a part in developing and shaping a very innovative and unique program - something which we believe will have a big impact globally. How can I provide feedback on the program?

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We will ask you to complete a short feedback survey at the end of every course, and a more detailed survey at the end of the training program to let us know how you found the course content and the online platform. In addition, you may forward comments, suggestions, and questions to OpenEducation@accenture.com at any point throughout the pilot. How will I take the course, what equipment will I need? You will need access to a computer with an internet browser and an internet connection. Ideally, the computer should also have a CD (or DVD) drive though we can work around this if a CD/DVD drive is not available. Who do I go to if I have questions or I have a technical issue? You can contact us at openeducation@accenture.com for any questions you have or issues you may face. Why are you asking me for personal information? We are asking all participants for some basic demographic information so that we can analyze the feedback by various parameters e.g. country, city, gender, etc. The data will be made anonymous when the results are collated and communicated.

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