Advice on how to assess competency in the absence of academic qualifications?

S

selena

#1
Hi guys

I need some more advise on ISO 9001.

Specifically, I am struggling to come up with a way of evidencing competency for an individual in our company who has no academic qualifications.

Nevertheless, he is a highly skilled programmer with over 8years experience who's developed extensive skills since leaving school and working his way up. It's just that his skills and competencies have never been formally assessed!

I know that it’s not enough to say “if he was no good at his job we wouldn’t employ him” so how do I prove that he’s competent at his job?

I’ve been mulling it over and the only solution I can come up with is to ‘cherry pick’ various examples of his work that highlight various skills e.g. writing databases, programming software tools etc and then attach a covering assessment sheet on which the director of the company says ‘based on the attached evidence of competency, Mr X is competent and skilled in programming’. Does that sound like the right way forward or am I making it too complicated?

If it is the right way forward, are there any example templates of a competency assessment front sheets I could have a look at?

Just under three weeks until the 2nd audit. It feels like 1 step forward and 2 steps back at the moment :(

Thanks in advance

Selena
 
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T

Ted Schmitt

#2
Re: Advise on how to assess competency in absence of academic qualifications

Selena,

We do pretty much the same thing in our machine shop... I´ve got some very experienced machine operators that can do some pretty complicated Trigonometry calculations but can barely write their own name... his highest school degree is probably 2nd or 3 rd grade.

We have a letter signed by the president and the Management Rep stating that based on his time at the company, promotions received, work done and etc. we declare that he has the competency to do the job. (exactly what you are proposing)
 
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SteelMaiden

Super Moderator
Super Moderator
#3
Re: Advise on how to assess competency in absence of academic qualifications

Hi guys

Nevertheless, he is a highly skilled programmer with over 8years experience who's developed extensive skills since leaving school and working his way up. It's just that his skills and competencies have never been formally assessed!
Thanks in advance

Selena
How do you know that he has developed extensive skills if someone hasn't assessed those skills?
How do you know he is highly skilled if someone hasn't assessed his skills?
Doesn't 8 years of experience count for something? What did he do for those years? Was it good solid work, or did someone have to redo everything he did?

I think that you are confusing education with competence. Don't make it so hard, it appears that someone has already done the assessing, now you just need to find a way to make it formal and document it. (or maybe it already is?)

Before I leave, I do want to make a point....education is great. Everyone should have one. But, the real learning begins once you put the book down and roll up your sleeves and start doing something. Intelligence and competence are not necessarily proportional. I have read many books about medicine, that doesn't make me a doctor.:2cents:
 
K

kmyers

#4
Re: Advise on how to assess competency in absence of academic qualifications

How do you know that he has developed extensive skills if someone hasn't assessed those skills?
How do you know he is highly skilled if someone hasn't assessed his skills?
Doesn't 8 years of experience count for something? What did he do for those years? Was it good solid work, or did someone have to redo everything he did?

I think that you are confusing education with competence. Don't make it so hard, it appears that someone has already done the assessing, now you just need to find a way to make it formal and document it. (or maybe it already is?)

Before I leave, I do want to make a point....education is great. Everyone should have one. But, the real learning begins once you put the book down and roll up your sleeves and start doing something. Intelligence and competence are not necessarily proportional. I have read many books about medicine, that doesn't make me a doctor.:2cents:

How do you suggest that she documents his competence. I agree with what you are saying maiden but I believe Selena is asking how to prove competence. Is just stating with past work history operator has proven competence or does she need to document something?
 
S

selena

#5
Re: Advise on how to assess competency in absence of academic qualifications

Thank you Ted, Kmyers and Steel Maiden for your responses.

I agree with Steel Maiden in the respect that there is no substitute for on the job experience. However, with an academic/training record, it's a quick and dirty means of evidencing a skill/competency/training.

I've put together a draft 'competencies assessment record'. This record will go in a personal development folder which will contain training certificates, appraisal records etc

Would you guys mind giving me your thoughts/opinions on it?

I had in mind the following;

In the skills/competency criteria, you could put - programming, web development, database creation.

In the evidence section - you could refer to a copy of your CV as partial evidence of your work history & include that in your personal development folder. As what he does is not physically tangible, you could simply refer to websites he's previously developed, databases he's put together, software tools he's programmed etc. The assessor would then sign off the assessment sheet as verification that the employee is competent and skilled etc

Cheers in advance

Selena
 

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S

Sorin

#6
Re: Advise on how to assess competency in absence of academic qualifications

If the person in question is that good why don't you look for a certification?
There are various certifications in IT area and I am quite sure it will be a walk in the park tpo get one of those if he's that good. Get the company to pay for it and that's it. No need to go fairy tales on your QMS....:cool:
 

SteelMaiden

Super Moderator
Super Moderator
#7
Re: Advise on how to assess competency in absence of academic qualifications

However, with an academic/training record, it's a quick and dirty means of evidencing a skill/competency/training.

Selena
I disagree, with a diploma, all you can show is that the educational requirements have been met, not what level of skills/competency the person holds. I know people who have doctorates and are the most incompetent nincompoops I've ever met. I know people with GEDs who can learn to do something the first time they are shown. Education is and should be a requirement to get the job, not the record to show they are competent.:2cents:
 
S

Sorin

#8
Re: Advise on how to assess competency in absence of academic qualifications

I disagree, with a diploma, all you can show is that the educational requirements have been met, not what level of skills/competency the person holds. I know people who have doctorates and are the most incompetent nincompoops I've ever met. I know people with GEDs who can learn to do something the first time they are shown. Education is and should be a requirement to get the job, not the record to show they are competent.:2cents:
I think there is a misunderstanding between academic background and academic training.

While the first provide infor for meeting requirements, the 2nd provide the necessary skills in order to perform a certain task....IMO
 

SteelMaiden

Super Moderator
Super Moderator
#9
Re: Advise on how to assess competency in absence of academic qualifications

there is a difference between providing the education to learn the skills, and the actual competency. You can throw education at me all day long, that doesn't show that I am competent, only that I have taken the training required. IMHO, too many people are using education and competence as interchangeable terms. Education means you have been exposed to the fundamental knowledge required to do the job. Competence means that you have combined both the skills and the knowledge to actually perform the job well.:2cents:
 
S

selena

#10
Re: Advise on how to assess competency in absence of academic qualifications

Thank you for the additional responses.

Regarding my understanding of skills & competencies, skills and competencies are acquired mainly through a number of means i.e. vocational training, academic study and work experience. Evidence of the acquisition of those skills is relatively easy to prove with the first two - you get a certificate stating that you passed an assessment or exam and have the skills/knowledge that a given course was designed to deliver etc.

Work experience, where your skills & knowledge has developed gradually over a period of time, is a little more difficult to evidence.

Annual assessments are one means of proving that you are competent at your job. If you weren't, your assessment would probably say otherwise and you would probably be out of a job.

With regards to Sorin's comments re certification, there simply isn't the luxury of time. Our 2nd audit is just under 3 weeks away. Getting certification has been mooted for the future though and he will probably go for that next year.

What I am seeking to do is to provide everyone in the organisation with a personal development folder into which they can provide evidence of training, skills competencies etc. At the front of this folder will be the skills assessment record which will reference evidence of those skills/training.

there are two reasons I want to implement a personal development folder for each employee;
1. Putting your training/skills documentation in one location is tidy
2. Giving each individual a personal development folder encourage individuals to take some responsibility for their professional development

tedschmitt's suggestion, regarding getting the management to declare that staff are competent, is the only viable means of providing a short term assessment of competency as I can see it.

Cheers for all your comments
 
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