SFIA Monthly News - April 2025

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1. SFIA Framework Foundation knowledge
2. SFIA 9: Business Skills & Behavioural Factors
3. SFIA in Education: Bridging academic learning and professional practice
4. ISC2 and SFIA v9: Enhanced Cybersecurity Credentials Mapping
5. SFIA – a framework for AI skills

SFIA Framework Foundation: Your gateway to SFIA knowledge

We've made it easier for newcomers to learn about SFIA with our structured collection of resources, offering streamlined access to essential SFIA knowledge. 

• The new SFIA Framework Foundation Test is now available directly from our website—suitable for both newcomers and experienced SFIA users, taking approximately half an hour to complete. 
• FREE until September 2025: Take the test now, pay only for the digital badge if desired. From October 2025, a fee will apply (includes digital badge).
• Completing the test provides a professional certificate and optional digital badge for your professional profiles. 
• We encourage wider participation in the test, including experienced SFIA Users, as your feedback will help us improve our educational resources.  
• The test is not designed to catch you out, there are no trick questions. The information needed to pass the test is readily available and familiar to users of SFIA. 

Quick access to essential SFIA knowledge

• Foundation Level resource hub: All core SFIA concepts organised in one place
• Online validation: Take the new SFIA Framework Foundation Test directly from our website, no additional registration needed
• Beginner-friendly: Alternatively, start with our SFIA Fundamentals quiz for a gentle introduction

→ Learn more about Foundation resources and the test

SFIA 9: Business Skills & Behavioural Factors at a Glance

We've improved how SFIA 9 represents the essential non-technical skills that complement technical expertise:

• Greater visibility: Business skills and behavioural factors now prominently featured
• Clear progression paths: See exactly how each skill evolves across responsibility levels
• Improved navigation: Restructured web pages make exploring these skills intuitive

These behavioural factors/business skills include collaboration, communication, decision-making, problem-solving, planning, leadership, digital mindset, adaptability, learning, creativity, and improvement mindset - providing a clear development roadmap as you progress through SFIA levels.

Based on your feedback, we've made significant improvements to how these skills are presented compared to SFIA 8, making them more accessible and easier to understand.

→ Explore Levels of Responsibility - starting at level 3 to see the new page layout

→ Discover Behavioural Factors and Business Skills - starting with "Collaboration" to see the new page layout

New ideas for enhancing behavioural factors

Following on from the success of bringing out the SFIA Behavioural Factors explicitly in SFIA 9 and acting on the feedback from our community, we are considering clarifying the types of impact these behavioural factors have and how they can best be used to explicitly address the behavioural aspects of workforce development.

Suggestions we have received so far include groupings based on, e.g., the core operational attributes, interpersonal & engagement skills, cognitive & process skills, foundational behaviours & mindsets. We'd welcome your thoughts on this initiative.

→ Share Your Feedback

SFIA in Education: Bridging academic learning and professional practice

• Universities and colleges continue to adopt SFIA to help prepare students for professional technology careers.
• The SFIA webinars from York and Strathclyde universities provide great examples of industrial placements and work-based learning.
• York University's Computer Science department has integrated SFIA into their assessment process for year-in-industry placement students, while Strathclyde's approach demonstrates how SFIA effectively structures skills development in work-based learning programmes.
• If you're interested in implementing SFIA in educational contexts or would like to discuss approaches, please get in touch

→ Learn more about SFIA in Education

ISC2 and SFIA v9: Enhanced Cybersecurity Credentials Mapping

• SFIA 9 now includes expanded recognition for cybersecurity professionals, with updated mappings for the CGRC credential and five ISC2 certification courses.
• This integration acknowledges the crucial role that globally recognised, accredited training programmes play in validating practitioners' knowledge, skills and abilities in cybersecurity roles.
• ISC2, the world's leading member association for cybersecurity professionals with over 265,000 certified members and associates, continues to strengthen alignment with the SFIA framework.
• The refreshed mappings reflect SFIA 9's comprehensive updates to cyber, AI and data skills, ensuring relevance for today's security landscape.

→ Explore the ISC2 credential mappings

SFIA – a framework for AI skills

• The release of SFIA 9 in October 2024 included a beta release of SFIA – a framework for AI skills.
• We have a small working group looking at further development of SFIA guidance in the field of AI/Machine Learning and the data-related skills needed for these applications.
• Anyone interested in contributing to this group please get in touch.

→ Explore SFIA 9 - a framework for AI skills → Express interest in the AI working group

Peter Leather
SFIA Updates Manager & SFIA 9 Project Manager
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