 What is/are competency/competencies?

 What is employee training?

 How is training traditionally carried out?
 How can training become competency based?
 What are the advantages and challenges of a
competency-based approach to employee training?
 When should employee training be competency based,
and when should it be handled traditionally?
 What model can guide competency-based training, and
how is implemented?
 What is/are competency/competencies?
Distinction between competence and
competency.

Competencies, are characteristics that individuals

have and use in appropriate, consistent ways in
order to achieve desired performance. These
characteristics include knowledge, skills,
aspects of self-image, social motives, traits,
thought patterns, mind-sets, and ways of
thinking, feeling, and acting.
 What is employee training?
 Training is a short-term learning
intervention. It is intended to build on
individual knowledge, skills, and attitudes
to meet present or future work requirements.
 Training should have an immediate and
highly specific impact on work performance
and should be grounded on the
organization's requirements and unique
corporate culture.
 How is training traditionally carried out?

 Training may be unplanned or planned. In

unplanned training, individuals are asked to
shadow experienced performers. That may involve
"sitting by Raj" or "following Amit around the
plant." It is rarely effective, since people cannot
learn how to perform by merely watching others.
 If training is planned, then it should follow an
approach based on the instructional systems design
(ISD) model. The ISD model is a systematic
approach to training.
How can training become competency based?

3 approaches to identify competencies:

 modified task analysis approach
 Critical Trait approach
 JCAM – Job competency assessment method
 Situational approach
 How can training become competency based?

Training can become competency based in at least

three ways.
 Reinvent the ISD model.
 Train to build individual competence relative to a
competency model of exemplary performance.
 Build individual competence in a work team
context.
 Making Training Competency Based

Companies using Competency based training:

 Ford Financial uses a skill- and competency-based
learning program that affords employees an
opportunity to view information such as the skills
and competencies needed for positions.
 General Electric uses a formal competency analysis
program, based on 45 different behaviors, to assist
in meeting its training needs.
 What are the advantages and challenges of a
competency-based approach to employee
training?

 Advantages and Challenges of Reinventing

the ISD Model
 Advantages and Challenges of Training to
Build Individual Competence
 Advantages and Challenges of Building
Individual Competence in a Work Team
Context
When should employee training be competency based, and
when should it be handled traditionally?

Use traditional training based on the ISD

model in the following situations:
 The organization's resources are insufficient for
researching and validating a competency model.
 The shelf life of the training is limited or its
objectives are short term.
 The targeted training population is small.
 The work does not have a strategic impact on
organizational success.
When should employee training be competency based, and
when should it be handled traditionally?

Use competency-based training in the following

situations:
 The organization has the resources available to research and
validate a quality competency model.
 The work and related training content have a significantly
high strategic impact on organizational success.
 Time is available to devote to competency identification,
validation, and modeling.
 The training content shelf life is of sufficient length to
justify the expense of researching and validating the
competency model.
 The training population is large enough to warrant resource
expenditure.
 Decision makers consider it appropriate to focus on
achieving exemplary rather than fully successful
performance when the training is complete.
 What model can guide competency-based training,
and how is implemented?

The models correspond to the approaches to

competency-based training discussed earlier:-

 Reinventing the ISD model

 Training to build individual competence relative to
a competency model of exemplary performance
 Building individual competence in a work team
context