Best Practices-Competency Assurance Management System

Introduction

A Competence Management System is a structured process to develop and maintain staff competence which involves tools such as competence management, skills-gap analysis, succession planning, as well as competence analysis and profiling.

 In the Oil and Gas Industry, competence is one of the most significant issues currently being addressed globally. An organization’s ability to maintain and develop staff is very critical. An effective competence management system will provide lasting benefits in terms of business and safety performance to any organization. By linking personnel to the required competences, organizations can shape the capabilities of its workforce and achieve improved results, by ensuring that the right person is in the right position at the right time.

This course will focus more on the planning and implementation of a competency management system (CMS), as one of the most challenging for professionals involved in this type of system or project. The trainer will raise awareness and understanding of competence assurance thru effective CMS development and implementation using frameworks established in the Oil and Gas Industry. Case studies will be utilized and these are designed to improve the flow of the information between the trainer and attendees by providing examples of the challenges of CMS implementation. At the end of this course, the participants will have the practical tools to address issues involved in managing competence assurance.

Objectives

• PROVIDE professionals with the knowledge on how to design, develop and implement CMS
• EFFECTIVELY obtain stakeholders engagement for the development and implementation of CMS
• ABILITY to make early gains in the CMS design and development strategy
• IDENTIFY the scope of a detailed implementation and roll out plan based on organization’s structure and business objectives
• KNOW the features and characteristics of an effective and pragmatic CMS
• AWARENESS and understanding the drivers of competence assurance
• EVALUATE and articulate the benefits of a CMS
• UNDERSTAND the issues involved in system ownership, competence assessment structures, operational issues and ways to address these issues.
• GAIN perspective on the merits of accreditation and third party CMS approval options

Training Methodology

We use a combination of formal presentations, group and individual exercises, psychological and work inventories, case studies, role-plays and discussions. Inter-group discussions to share working experiences are also an important ingredient. Skills are introduced and then revisited at regular intervals throughout the program. This helps reinforce and imbed skills and performance.

The tutors are also available for one-to-one discussions with delegates on issues or problems they may wish to raise. 

Who Should Attend?

The course is designed and will benefit experienced professionals involved in Competency Management System:

• HR Managers
• Training Managers
• Learning & Development Executives
• Competency & Capability Development Executive
• Talent Development
• Head of Department
• Team Managers
• Line Managers

Course Outline

Module 1:

What is Competence?                       

• Historical methods of assuring workforce capability
• Group Discussion: A standard based approach to workforce development, competence assurance and the drivers for it.

The drivers for competence assurance

• The Piper Alpha disaster
• Guidance issued by a Regulator
• Guidance issued by an oil & gas employer’s organization
• ISO 9001 guidance
• Guidance from the sector
• Training versus competence

Scope of the Competence Management System

• The Purpose in implementing CMS
• Benchmarking of skills and workforce capability
• Assurance of competence
• Compliance
• Staff development
• Workforce capability/Performance Management
• Competence of contractor staff

Scope and structure of the CMS

• Who does it apply to?
• Focus on the skills and risks applying to safety and the business
• The factors consideration when implementing a CMS

Workshop: Functional analysis and determination of job roles

• Selecting occupational standards for the job roles
• Group Exercise: What if there are no occupational standards that meet the requirements?

The Role of External Organizations

• Awarding and accrediting bodies (OPITO, SQA, Edexcel and C&G)

Module 2:

Competence Based Training

Competence Management System Development

• Six Golden Values
• Designing and developing components of a CMS
• Policy Statement
• Procedures
• Process to ensure standardization of competence assessment
• Internal audit
• Management review

Resources available

• External support and when to use it
• Maintaining ownership of the system

Developing competence standards

• Developing the competence standards

Group Exercise: Authoring technical competence standards

 Establishing the CMS and the requirements for training and assessment of staff

• Competency standards and qualification frameworks
• Competency profile for job roles and competence portfolios
• Competency Mapping of occupational standards to job roles
• Tracking, recording and monitoring systems

Competency Management Implementation

• Assessment and verification against occupational standard
• Training requirements and qualification of assessors (national & OPITO)
• Training requirements and qualification of verifiers

Exercise: Developing competence assessment checklists

• Training to meet the requirements of the occupational standards
• Focused and essential external training
• On-the-job training
• Training and assessment cycles thru Performance Management

Monitor, review and maintain competence

• Currency of competence
• Reassessment processes
• Handling not-yet-competent situations
• Contractor issues
• Industry Best practices

 Module 3:

Maintenance of the Competence Management System

• Keeping the CMS up to date through standardization processes, internal audit and management
• Maintain the competence of CMS managers, assessors and internal verifiers (Continuing Professional Development)
• Review the output and impact of the CMS on Key Performance Indicators

 Group discussion: Business plans and management’s responsibilities for CMS

 Commonality and transferability

• Implementing a global system
• How to manage satellite assessment sites

Discussion: The need for assessment and assessors

Quality assurance and internal verification system

• The role of the internal verifier
• Internal audit

Coordination and management of CMS

• Typical organization
• Part time or full time staff
• Six Golden Values

Third party audit

• The CMS Approval Criteria - recognized as industry good practice
• Awarding and accredited bodies

Workshop: Review of CMS criteria recognized as industry good practice

External accreditation and approval

• National, Regional and International qualification
• Industry specific
• Company specific
• Qualification frameworks

Dealing with failure

• Not-yet-competent situations and remedies
• Identifying gaps and closing these out.