Digital Accessibility Specialist Apprenticeship
Level 4
Launch a career as a champion of accessibility
The primary role of a Digital Accessibility Specialist is to offer guidance on accessibility best practices, aiding organizations in meeting global accessibility standards, fostering inclusivity, and ensuring compliance with pertinent legislation. Engaging with various professionals, including software engineers and product owners, they collaborate to ensure end-user experiences align with accessibility needs and standards.
This role involves training professionals in creating accessible solutions, testing and auditing digital content for compliance, and providing technical support for assistive technology. Digital Accessibility Specialists analyse solutions, interact with assistive technology providers, and engage with the disability community, contributing to project oversight without direct staff supervision. While primarily desk-based, the role may include travel for client interactions and industry events.
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Key Information
Duration
24 month programme followed by a 5-month End Point Assessment phase.
Funding options.
If you pay the apprenticeship levy this is 100% funded at £16,000.
Or
a maximum £800 (5% contribution) if you are a non-levy employer.
Fully funded for a 16-21 within a non-levy employer.
Knowledge
- Understanding the characteristics and categories of disabilities, including temporary, situational, and permanent disabilities, and their impact on individuals.
- Familiarity with commonly used accessibility guidelines such as Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, EN301549, and Section508, and methods to implement them for the benefit of users with disabilities.
- Knowledge of managing and integrating accessibility within an enterprise environment, encompassing policies and reasonable adjustments.
- Ability to utilize productivity suites for accessibility, advise on implementation of accessibility features, and ensure accessible content output.
- Awareness of international disability legislation implications, including Equality Act 2010, Accessibility Regulations 2018, and Accessible Canada Act C81 2018, on users with disabilities and UK businesses.
- Skills in presenting using relevant technologies, communicating information, understanding key accessibility facts and figures, and creating a compelling business case.
- Competence in setting up and conducting activities related to hosting workshops, including moderation usability testing, user research testing, and end-user testing.
- Understanding the basics of HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Accessibility Rich Internet Applications for enhancing service accessibility.
- Familiarity with the development of mobile applications using appropriate development applications and basic knowledge of related programming languages.
- Grasping the fundamentals of Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and their application in various situations, such as web, mobile, and desktop applications.
- Basic principles of project management, including project life cycle methodologies, and integrating accessibility considerations.
- Knowledge of accessibility considerations in designing and developing application user experiences, utilizing standards and guidelines like ISO9241 Ergonomics of human-system interaction, The Principles of Universal Design by the Centre for Universal Design and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.
- Proficiency in using and understanding digital and physical assistive technologies, their use-cases, and degrees of complexity.
- Awareness of how assistive technologies interact with other digital technologies.
- Understanding the principles and application of testing methodologies for accessibility criteria and assistive technologies, and the impact of accessibility findings.
- Ability to construct a business report, considering document layout and contents.
- Understanding the purpose and importance of reasonable adjustments and their management.
- Best practices for digital security, including GDPR compliance and mitigating factors for effective implementation.
- Security considerations related to the installation and use of assistive technologies, and methods to mitigate security constraints.
- Skills in communication through different mediums and tailoring communications to different user groups.
- Proficiency in using incident management tools, triaging incidents, and appropriately communicating with assistive technology users.
- Knowledge of auditing digital applications against digital assistive technologies, including screen readers, screen magnifiers, speech to text, and literacy aids.
- Preparation and processes required to conduct training with various user groups, such as project managers, web designers, developers, end-users, and line management.
- Understanding how accessibility fits into the wider digital landscape, including current and future regulatory requirements and case law.
- Ethical use of data and awareness of implications for wider society regarding data, automation, and artificial intelligence.
Skills
- Effectively present information, such as business cases and testing findings, to diverse audiences to ensure comprehension.
- Utilize both hardware and software-based assistive technologies for various applications, including testing and training.
- Employ interpersonal skills to establish and maintain effective professional relationships within and outside the team.
- Conduct testing across multiple platforms using appropriate standards, guidelines, and assistive technologies.
- Organize and execute workshops, surveys, or focus groups, managing setup, activities, and conclusion processes.
- Demonstrate written and verbal communication skills for both team collaboration and individual tasks.
- Solve problems through a logical and analytical approach.
- Identify suitable assistive technologies and adaptive strategies for individuals with disabilities.
- Practice disability etiquette when communicating with individuals having disabilities.
- Apply accessibility standards and regulations in practical scenarios.
- Utilize productivity suites and implement accessibility best practices, such as reading level and color contrast, in produced documentation.
- Create business reports, business cases, and documentation tailored to the target audience, including developers and management.
- Identify and resolve issues related to a user's assistive technology using appropriate troubleshooting methods.
- Apply security best practices.
- Implement accessibility guidelines (e.g., WCAG, ISO9241) when designing solutions for various platforms like web and mobile.
- Gather and research information or statistics pertinent to the target audience of training, staying appropriate and informative.
- Stay updated on technological developments, trends, and innovations using a variety of sources.
- Lead a group using basic leadership skills to achieve common goals.
Behaviours
- Display motivation, empathy, and drive in the realm of accessibility and the broader digital domain.
- Proactively foster inclusivity.
- Effectively manage time and adhere to set timescales when delivering work products.
- Demonstrate curiosity, innovation, and forward-thinking in exploring digital technologies with positive implications for disabled individuals.
Who is it the Digital Accessibility Specialist Apprenticeship (Level 4) suitable for?
- IT or digital marketing professionals wishing to specialise in digital accessibility
- Individuals passionate about advocacy, inclusivity and social responsibility
- Those with a keen interest in web development or digital design
Find the full qualification specifications here
Whether you are a learner or employer, National Upskill are here to assist you.
If you have any questions for our team, please get in touch at info@nationalupskill.co.uk.
You can also call us at 0333 772 9534.
