Experts say that the main key to an effective competency-based training plan is the job description.
If it is well-written and portrays a concise and clear picture of the job in the certain environment where it will be performed, everything will be in order.
Typically, a job description must be brief and should describe the major activities that must be performed by the worker.
Also, extra information must be included such as:
• Special licenses or restrictions required
• Training level required
• Special abilities required
• Tools and equipment used or operated
• General working condition
A successful competency-based training plan is generally based on the tasks that workers carry out on the job than what is found in classrooms or textbooks. This ensures that all the participants will be able to master the skills that will increase their level of productivity.
Examining a Job for Competency
Depicting the capable worker in a specific job involves listing and identifying the vital tasks or performances that a capable worker carries out and is compensated on for the job. This method is referred to as a job-task analysis.
Competency Defined
The establishment of competency’s definition is to determine the particular job tasks carried out as part of the job description. It is very essential to note that you must only list those tasks for which an individual has the willingness to pay.
There are multiple ways by which the tasks performed on the job can be identified:
• Observe workers while doing their job for a specific period of time
• Compile a provisional list of tasks and have workers from their respective jobs conform them
Part of the competency-based training plan is taking note that the manner by which tasks are stated is as important as the tasks selected. Unclear task statements are worthless to the competency-based training plan. The individual tasked to define the task must be accurate when it comes to stating the competency elements. This will provide a hundred percent guarantee that learning activities focused on realistic performance will be formed.
There are 3 factors to a competency statement that is appropriately defined:
• Conditions under which the individual must carry out the task to fully demonstrate competence
• Performance that the individual must demonstrate
• Standard or criteria by which the individual will be hailed competent
Condition is a constituent of competence. It describes the setting or environment within which the individual will be necessitated to carry out the task in order to exhibit competence. The condition statement comprises words that relate to the following:
• Restriction
• Situations
• Things
In the competency-based training plan, there are some key points that you need to take into consideration when drafting condition statements:
• There are cases wherein a condition statement may not be necessary
• Refrain from making the condition very particular
• Don’t include anything the individual must not be given during the examination situation
• Don’t include anything that is apparent
• Refrain from long list of equipment, particular tools, etc.
The next constituent of competence is the so-called performance statement, which must be written in a not too general, yet not to particular manner.
There are 3 parts to a well-defined performance statement:
• Qualifier
• What is produced or used
• Performance
The first factor is the qualifier that may or may not be obliged to separate a certain task from the same tasks. The second factor states what is produced or used. Every performance statement must reflect a complete work unit that is highly capable of being studied on its own. Basically, the guide of a trainer would be formed for every performance statement.
Pointers in Drafting Performance Statements as Part of the Competency-based Training Plan
The performance statement must:
• Avoid unnecessary or flowery terms
• Avoid double verbs
• Be observable
• Be unambiguous and concise
• Stand alone
Criteria depict how the individual carries out the task in order to be affirmed competent. It is essential to point out that a newly hired employee must be held to a lesser standard performance than an incumbent who has carried out the task for several years.
When forming criteria, some of the key points to remember are the following:
• Do not make your criteria very restrictive
• Include all the essential competence indicators and the usual errors made by newly hired employees
• Criteria with regard to speed must be lower than that necessitated of an incumbent
• Develop a preliminary high level criteria to ascertain entry level performance
If you would like to ensure that everything will be in order, draft a competency-based training plan. You can make use of this article as your guide in order to create the best plan that would help you gauge the level of competence of every employee.