ITIL Training Courses
ITIL training courses are available in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow, Edinburgh - and 20 other cities across the UK. We also offer online instructor-led courses as well as self-paced elearning packages.
The ITIL® certification scheme provides a modular approach to the ITIL framework, and is comprised of a series of qualifications focused on different aspects of ITIL best practice to various degrees of depth and detail. The tiered structure of the qualification offers candidates flexibility relating to the different disciplines and areas of ITIL and the ability to focus their studies on key areas of interest.
Over the years, different versions of ITIL have been released to stay aligned with changing business requirements. ITIL v3 was first launched in 2007 and updated in 2011. ITIL 4 Foundation launched in February 2019 and subsequently the higher module official guidance and examinations have now all been released.
ITIL is currently evolving from ITIL v3 to ITIL 4 with a clear transition journey from one scheme structure to the other. ITIL v3 Foundation candidates are encouraged to move straight to ITIL 4 Foundation to keep their skills up-to-date. Intermediate candidates should continue their ITIL v3 journey to build the skills they need.
There are five certification levels within the ITIL v3 Certification Scheme:
- Foundation (to be discontinued by Axelos as of 1 July 2021)
- Practitioner
- Intermediate (to be discontinued bu Axelos as of 1 Jan 2022)
- Expert
- Master
The ITIL 4 Managing Professional Transition course is targeted at ITSM leaders, and practitioners who already hold the ITIL v3 Expert qualification (or have 17 points under the ITIL v3 scheme) and gives them a direct path to transition to the new ITIL 4 Managing Professional (MP) designation (to be discontinued by Axelos as of 1 July 2022). For delegates moving on to the ITIL 4 Managing Professional Transition course, there is no need to take the MALC exam.
ITIL v4 Certification Scheme:
The certification scheme below is aligned with ITIL v3 and has been streamlined to provide clear paths for practitioners to continue their ITIL journey.
There are four certification levels within the ITIL 4 scheme:
- Foundation
- ITIL 4 Managing Professional
- ITIL 4 Strategic Leader
- Master
ITIL Training Courses and Certification
Accredited ITIL training courses from Focus on Training help ensure top quality, high performance IT services are tightly aligned with all areas of your business. The ITIL Foundation course will give you a broad overview of the ITIL framework, preparing you for a move on to higher level qualifications.
Once you have achieved the Foundation level certification there are a variety of training options available to increase your knowledge of the ITIL Framework. This enables you to select a route that aligns best with your role, existing knowledge, experience and career ambitions.
Tailor Made In-House ITIL Training – Targeted and Cost Effective
We make it easy for you to save money and get first class results with onsite ITIL training. Courses are arranged to meet your needs and can prove more cost effective than public courses. Our network of world class trainers are available to teach new staff and improve the performance of your existing team.
- read lessGet a quote for In-house training
Frequently Asked Questions
What is ITIL?
ITIL was originally an acronym for the IT Infrastructure Library. It is a codification of best practice in the field of information technology and information systems. It enables dissemination and teaching of methodologies which have been proven to underpin the most successful IT users.
How do I get ITIL qualified?
The start point for anyone interested in ITIL is the Foundation Certificate. This demonstrates your basic understanding of the core ITIL processes. It is usually achieved through a 3 day training course with an accredited provider - and will include the multiple choice exam.
Online learning is also an option.
Why can't I find your accreditation details?
Focus is not an accredited training organisation, but wherever appropriate your training will be delivered by one of our fully accredited specialist partners.
For popular accredited courses such as PRINCE2® and ITIL® we work with over 30 high quality partners to bring you the most comprehensive schedule of courses.
Prices are competitive and you can book online with confidence.
Just ask if you wish to know which of our partners will be delivering a specific course.
What format is the ITIL Foundation Certificate Exam?
The most popular UK examination board at present is ISEB though it is also available from EXIN and now APMG. It is a one hour, closed book, multiple choice exam containing 40 questions. The pass mark is 26/40.
The Foundation exam is normally taken on the final day of a three day course but it is also available independently of training via Thomson Prometric, or through quarterly central exam events organised by the ISEB. ISEB pass rates over the past two years have averaged 87%.
Test your skills with our ITIL quiz which comprises 20 ITIL Foundation style questions.
Where did ITIL come from?
ITIL has its origins in the public sector in the UK in the 1980s when government was concerned to improve the effectiveness of major IT projects. A major precursor was a set of IBM "Yellow Books" on management information systems. ITIL was and continues to be a common sense framework that is independent of technology vendor and is based on observations of best practices within the IT service industry.
How does ITIL keep up to date with changing technology and business needs?
There is regular and structured consultation within the IT/IS community. A major player in this respect has been the ITSMF (IT Service Management Forum) which represents the professional concerns of the IT community worldwide. Over time ITIL has shifted from a technical to a service focus.
What is different about ITIL version 3 and ITIL 2011?
Version 3 of ITIL was launched in June 2007 following the 3 year "ITIL Refresh" project. It shifted ITIL into the context of continuous improvement. It built on the already well established core processes but interpreted them on a "service lifecycle basis".
The 10 process defined books which described the framework were replaced by 5 books covering Service Strategies, Service Design, Service Transition, Service Operation and Continual Service Improvement.
There is a growing body of supporting study aid material. In addition, Executive Briefs and Case Studies drive home the importance and relevance of the processes to non specialist personnel.
A minor refresh was undertaken in 2011 but the basic guidance and qualification structure was not significantly affected.
Who owns ITIL?
Ownership of the the name and copyright in materials lies with the Office for Government Commerce (the UK Government organisation which is also behind PRINCE2 and MSP).
However, the approach can be freely adopted by anyone.
Responsibility for examinations and trainer accreditation has been passed to the APMGroup.
Is ITIL for individuals or for companies?
Is ITIL growing?
Yes - extremely fast.
Over 300,000 ITIL exams were taken in 2012. It is the international standard for IT service management. There is strong adoption within the US and emerging Asian economies as well as the UK and Europe.
Version 3 facilitated further international expansion through multilingual exams and support material. The latest release was in 2011.
Who uses ITIL?
ITIL is relevant to public and private sector organisations - large or small.
Amongst larger organisations which have adopted ITIL as a basic management process are:
Barclays Bank
Boeing
British Airways
Caterpillar
Guiness
HSBC
Hewlett Packard
IBM
Microsoft
Procter & Gamble
Shell
UK Ministry of Defence
US Internal Revenue Service.
Why use ITIL?
To overcome the frequent criticisms of IT investment regarding over spend, under delivery, and lack of transparency.
Benefits can include increased productivity, higher levels of customer satisfaction, reduced costs, improved communications between the IT function and its customers, improved morale of service delivery staff, lower costs of training, and better asset utilisation.
Savings in total costs of ownership of 48% have been reported in case studies. P&G has attributed savings of 10% of their total IT costs to adoption of ITIL.
What are the higher level ITIL qualifications?
The Intermediate and Expert certificates have displaced the old Practitioner and Manager qualifications.
You can download a free guide - ITIL Qualifications Explained.
We offer discounted bundles for those looking to achieve ITIL Expert certification:
What pre-reading is necessary for the ITIL Courses?
What is the ITIL Expert qualification?
The ITIL Expert is the high level "manager's" qualification under the ITIL v3 qualification structure.
It is obtained by accumulating 22 credits through study at Foundation and Intermediate levels.
There are also credits available for any existing v2 certificates you hold - and it is possible to "Bridge" from the v2 Manager's certificate.
Why choose Focus on Training for your ITIL training?
Focus specialises in Project Management, Business Analysis and IT training. We offer the most comprehensive schedule of public courses and can also deliver in-house training options. Our trainers combine deep specialist knowledge with practical real world experience. We are committed to consistent high quality course delivery, and an efficient booking experience. You can read what other delegates thought of our ITIL training here.
Our customers include Asda, City of London, GFI Software, Ministry of Defence and Shell.
What other training requirements can Focus help with?
We have an extensive range of courses suitable for business, IT and project professionals. This includes training in the areas of Prince2, MSP, APM, ITIL, Business Analysis, Microsoft Project and Software Testing.
Our most popular courses include Prince2 Foundation & Practitioner, MSP Practitioner, ITIL Foundation and ISTQB Software Testing Foundation. Contact a member of our sales team today to discuss your requirements.
