posted 19 June 2001 01:53 PM               

Does this mean that all employees are competent enough to do the job?

Yes. If they arenât, then you must have plans to develop associates to the required level while instituting interim protocols.

Can a resume of previous experience be considered as validation of competency?

In part. You need two things to achieve successful results: knowledge and experience. Resumes are presentations of peoples ãsuggestedä abilities and knowledge. It is not proof of their competency. You will need to evaluate an associate to determine for yourself whether the candidate has the ability to fulfill job requirements (usually done in the probationary period at the start of employment). At the end of the probationary period, you must assess ability to meet requirements and make a decision to hire, hire and train in deficient areas, or reject employment.

How about apprenticeships? How can I develop competency in them?

Apprenticeships are learning relationships. It is an extensive On the Job learning experience generally governed by the skills that must be learned and mastered as well as time requirements as an apprentice/journeyman.

First, you must understand what Îcompetencyâ is for each position in your organization. Understanding what it is will lead you to how to achieve it throughout the organization, how to measure it, and how to develop it as part of a Learning System. I would strongly suggest that this is NOT made part of traditional Performance Appraisals.

Regards,