SCAF Workshop Recruitment, Retention and Professional Development

Transcription

1 The following presentation was given at: SCAF Workshop Recruitment, Retention and Professional Development Tuesday 13th June 2017 The Conference Centre, Ribby Hall Village, Preston Released for distribution by the Author

2 The Professional Association Accreditation of Cost Engineers Agenda Topics for Discussion What is the Association of Cost Engineers? Benefits of Accreditation Tiered Accreditation (For Individuals) Company and Course Accreditation The Assessment Service Centre (TASC)

3 The Professional Association Accreditation of Cost Engineers What is the Association of Cost Engineering? Ref: 2017 Association of Cost Engineers 12/06/2017 2

4 The Professional Association Accreditation of Cost Engineers What is Cost Engineering? Cost Engineering is the science, art and application of professional skills, knowledge and judgement to the estimation and management of financial and material resources and to facilitate the creation of products and services that meet the customer need at a cost that ensures value for money and return on investment. Objectives of the Association Include The promotion and development of Cost Engineering, Estimating, Planning / Scheduling and Project Control as a recognised discipline of engineering technology A means of developing, sharing and disseminating standards, methods and data relating to Cost Engineering The provision of recognised standards of attainment in the practice of Cost Engineering The provision of opportunities for continuing professional development

5 The Professional Association Accreditation of Cost Engineers Benefits of Professional Accreditation Ref: 2017 Association of Cost Engineers 12/06/2017 4

6 Employers may ask themselves: How good is my team? Do they have the right knowledge and competence level I need them to have? Am I helping them to develop? World Class Engineering Companies require World Class skills in: Cost Estimating Cost Engineering Planning / Scheduling Risk Management How do we measure how proficient we are? The Association of Cost Engineers may have the answer for you Employees may wonder: Do I have the right skills to do the best job I can today? What skills will I need to develop to enhance my career? Clients may challenge their suppliers: How good are your teams skills? How good are your suppliers skills? Training Providers should want to know: Is my course delivering the right knowledge to allow attendees to develop their skills appropriately? Ref: 2015 Association of Cost Engineers 12/06/2017 5

7 Benefits of Accreditation to the Business Provides a level of Quality Assurance External accreditation provides a quality assurance measure in relation to staff competence, and promotes professionalism It provides assurance that the employee has satisfied a rigorous assessment of their competence in the activities in which they are engaged It provides a means of satisfying some of the requirements of Quality Management Systems standards such as ISO 9001:2008 By promoting and supporting accreditation of professional staff, businesses are improving their technical credibility with customers Creates a level of confidence in the calibre of a supplier s staff from a customer / client perspective 6

8 Benefits of Accreditation to the Business Continuous Improvement Stimulates the sharing of knowledge and best practice across organisations by reference to defined standards Brings an external perspective on the skills required across other sectors and industries Investment in Ongoing Staff Development Defines the standards expected of how of our staff operate now and in the future Provides recognition of a person's ability to perform at an accepted standard Provides a competency road map for future development 7

9 Benefits of Accreditation to the Business Resource Planning, Recruitment and Retention of Staff Provides visibility of the depth and distribution of skills across the business aids capacity and workload planning Provides an independent measure of competency as an aid to recruitment Can be an aid to recruitment as it signals that the business values the development of its staff and may also improve staff retention Indicates where staff have transferable skills to support other roles (cost estimating, cost engineering, planning and project controls) 8

10 Benefits of Accreditation to the Individual Self Esteem Raises the profile of Estimators, Cost Engineers, Planner / Schedulers and Project Control Professionals within the businesses in which they work Provides parity with other professions such as Finance, Project Management and Engineering who have well-established accreditation programmes Career Development Provides recognition of a person's ability to perform to an agreed externally recognised standard Encourages personal development and widens the choice of career pathways open to an individual 9

11 The Professional Association Accreditation of Cost Engineers ACostE Tiered Accreditation A flexible, staged route to full Professional Accreditation No, examinations involved! Evidence-based Vocational Competence Assessment only Ref: 2017 Association of Cost Engineers 12/06/

12 Competency Professional Accreditation Tiered Accreditation Enrolled Cost Engineer Registered Cost Engineer Incorporated Cost Engineer Certified Professional Cost Engineer Anyone can join the programme if they are working in a Cost Estimating, Cost Engineering, Planning/Scheduling or Project Controls role, and are Members of the Association Entry Level is dependent on prior qualifications and experience Development Programmes can be agreed to allow individuals to progress to higher levels of accreditation 11

13 Tiered Accreditation Tier Enrolled Registered Incorporated Certified Professional Target Profile Aimed principally at learners or trainees Trained Practitioner who works under some supervision Senior Practitioner who can work independently or may supervise others Senior Practitioner who provides strategic leadership or is a Technical Specialist Typical Experience & Minimum Qualifications Limited experience (nominally two years) often undergoing an approved training programme Vocational qualification and a minimum of 3-5 years on-job experience Bachelors degree or significant on-job experience (7+ years) Masters degree or extended experience including 5 years in a senior role 12

14 Assessment Process and Options Developmental Route Full Evidential Units of Assessment Candidate Application & Induction CPCostE option only Practice Paper Candidate Benchmarking ECostE & RCostE CPCostE & ICostE Professional Interview (ICostE & CPCostE) Board Review & Decision Continuing Professional Development 2017 Association of Cost Engineers 13

15 Assessment Process Application Candidate applies to be benchmarked at a particular tier / level Accreditation Board reviews application and advises the applicant whether the tier / level appears appropriate, and the assessment options available Accreditation Board issues an Accreditation Commencement Notice Benchmarking Candidate completes Benchmarking Level Park (Qualifications, Experience and Competence Questionnaires) Accreditation Board reviews Benchmarking Level Pack and advises candidate (ECostE and RCostE only) of the outcome 14

16 Assessment Process Professional Interview (ICostE and CPCostE only) Candidate attends a Professional Interview structured around the Benchmarking Level Pack Interview is nominally hours with 2-3 Senior Practitioners from the Association Candidates are advised of the outcome at the end of the interview Continuing Professional Development (CPD) To maintain the Accreditation award, accreditées must complete annual statement of Continuing Professional Development CPD requirement will be considered met for any accreditées who are working towards the next level / tier 15

17 Other Options for Entry or Ongoing Development Practice Paper Option for CPCostE Instead of relevant qualifications, or in order to demonstrate specialist knowledge and experience in lieu of leadership competences, there is an option to write a Practice Paper of between words on the development and implementation of a practice change project Paper must be of a publishable standard Units of Assessment (UoA) Demonstration of competence may be required against an agreed number of Units of Assessment, if Benchmarking highlights some outstanding development needs for the tier being assessed Typically, 5 UoAs are required to progress between tiers That doesn t mean that it will have to be published 16

18 Tiered Accreditation Current Fees Tier / Level Application Fee Practice Paper Benchmarking Level Pack Professional Interview Units of Assessment Enrolled N/A 150 Not Applicable Registered N/A 150 Not Applicable Incorporated 50 (one-off, any Level) N/A Certified Professional per Unit Max of 5 Units per Level It may appear to be expensive, but it is less costly than many other Professional Bodies charge 17

19 Tiered Accreditation Alignment with Engineering Profession Tiered Accreditation has been benchmarked against the Engineering Council s Accreditation: ECostE no equivalent RCostE EngTech ICostE IEng CPCostE Ceng For those with a suitable Engineering qualification and experience, the ACostE can also provide a route to Chartered Engineer (CEng) status as an affiliate of the Engineering Council 18

20 Units of Assessment National Occupational Standards Units of Assessment mirror the National Occupational Standards (NOS) in Cost Estimating, Cost Engineering, Scheduling and Project Controls The National Occupational Standards cover 40 different elements of competence in seven different groups: Cost Estimating, Management and Control Scheduling / Planning, Management and Control Engineering related skills Commercial Support activities Working with People Managing your own Personal Development Other general professional practices e.g. Ethics 19

21 Unit 1 Professional Accreditation List of National Occupational Standards (for reference only) 3 5 Title Oversee the application of information technology (IT) to Estimating, Planning & Cost Engineering Identify, analyse and evaluate risks, opportunities and uncertainties, and evaluate options for their control Monitor and evaluate the implementation of risk, opportunity and uncertainty control measures 6 Assure and control the quality of Estimating, Planning & Cost Engineering activities 9 Acquire and handle information needed for Estimating, Planning & Cost Engineering 10 Provide advice and support to maintain progress 11 Manage the team agree objectives with teams and individuals 12 Manage the team allocate work 13 Manage the continuing development of your personal and professional skills 15 Develop the skills of your professional team members Example Link: ECIPC1 Ref: 2017 Association of Cost Engineers 12/06/

22 List of National Occupational Standards (for reference only) Unit Title 16 Develop and maintain effective working relationships 18 Observe and apply professional ethics and values 19 Plan and implement the continuous improvement of your Estimating, Planning & Cost Engineering operations 20 Determine the requirements for Estimating, Planning & Cost Engineering 21 Estimate the cost of resources 22 Develop the project schedule including requirement definition 23 Establish project procurement requirements 27 Establish Estimating, Planning & Cost Engineering procedures, methods and systems 29 Develop commercial control procedures 30 Develop the breakdown coding structures Ref: 2017 Association of Cost Engineers 12/06/

23 List of National Occupational Standards (for reference only) Unit Title 31 Establish budgets for control purposes 32 Establish schedules for control purposes 35 Monitor, control and report on exposure commitment and expenditure 37 Monitor, control and report on progress 39 Select potential suppliers and obtain estimates, bids or tenders 40 Evaluate bids or tenders and make recommendations on potential suppliers 41 Prepare the commercial aspects of bid or tender offers 42 Conclude contractual arrangement for the supply of sub-contracts, goods, materials and services 43 Forecast the cost of resources used 44 Forecast and review schedule achievement Ref: 2017 Association of Cost Engineers 12/06/

24 List of National Occupational Standards (for reference only) Unit Title 47 Evaluate the information and prepare claim submissions 48 Provide commercial, estimating, planning or cost engineering support to the agreement of claims 49 Identify and quantify emerging changes 50 Ensure the completion of Estimating, Planning & Cost Engineering tasks 51 Evaluate Estimating, Planning & Cost Engineering performance, information and data 52 Analyse and interpret statistical data 54 Develop and calibrate learning curve models for recurring tasks 56 Identify and promote cost or time savings during the concept and definition phases 58 Optimise the production or construction method 60 Apply financial controls and techniques Ref: 2017 Association of Cost Engineers 12/06/

25 The Professional Association Accreditation of Cost Engineers Company and Course Accreditation Ref: 2017 Association of Cost Engineers 12/06/

26 Company Accreditation An opportunity to compare your organisation s ability to develop the competence of its staff in relation to Cost Engineering and related disciplines 1. Occupational Skills Framework (Linked to NOS) 2. Skills Development Delivery process 3. Associated courses, training and other development support 4. Level of Framework Maturity across sites 5. Level of Framework Maturity with respect to the Supply Chain 6. Level of Process Maturity in relation to Management Change 7. Project Control, Estimating, Planning or Cost Engineering Credentials (Qualifications, Experience, Continuous Professional Development) 8. Professional Body Profile 25

27 Company Accreditation Framework Occupational Skills standards Framework Role Requirements National Occupational standards Business Specific Knowledge and skills Presentation/clarity Grading structure The Organisation identified the Skills and Competences required and provides a means of identifying Development Needs Skills framework maps the skills to the National Occupational Standards NOS (Recognised internationally by ICEC) The process recognises the common/mandatory units and the job specific units that can be selected to reflect job role Skills framework maps the business specific skills needed to ensure the practitioner understands the skills required for their role in the business All practitioners in the function understand what is required of them, and their understanding of the framework There is a means of identifying the skill and competency levels required for each given career level and role in the function Delivery process Practitioner Capability assessment Practitioner Review and development Development implementation Assessor Quality Career Path There is a means of capturing the skill levels of each practitioner with respect to their career level and role in the function and adequate frequency of assessment There is a routine process to look at the practitioner gaps against current role, and future roles and assign & agree development targets for the next year and longer term No, I don t expect you to be able to read this! There is a process that takes into account the needs of the practitioner and the business to give optimum opportunity to the practitioner within the constraints of the current business objectives and strategy. There is a process that ensures Assessors are of the right calibre and are committed to the skills review process what is the selection process All practitioners understand the career path and levels, and the related skills levels required to achieve the role levels and the distinct roles within the career path. Associated courses, training and other development support Mentoring and Coaching Internal courses, workshops and seminars External courses and seminars - visibility/ availability There is an effective process which aligns suitably experienced mentors and coaches are available to support all practitioners Appropriate internal learning opportunities are available to support skills development Appropriate external learning opportunities are available to support skills development Level of maturity across sites Maturity of Skills Development Process Processes are well established, understood, embedded and aligned across the business Level of maturity with respect to supply chain Level of maturity of processes and management Project Control, Estimating, Planning or Cost Engineering Credentials Professional Body Profile Maturity of Supply Chain Skills Development Maturity in relation to a Change in Leadership Qualifications Experience Continuous Professional Development Professional Membership The organisation specifies or flows down standards or processes for skills development to its major suppliers, and has means of verifying compliance Processes are well established, reviewed regularly, and maintained as appropriate under configuration control Qualifications are relevant to the job role/grade Vocational experience is relevant to the job role/grade, Management/Leadership Development is ongoing All practitioners undergo continuous professional development All respondents belong to a relevant professional body All respondents are undertaking CPD either as part of a professional body or a routine requirement carried out by the employer Continuous Professional Development (CPD) All respondents actively support a relevant professional body Ref: 2017 Association of Cost Engineers 12/06/

28 Effectiveness Effectiveness Professional Accreditation The ACostE can also offer Accreditation programmes to employers and training providers: also underpinned by Company Accreditation Of an Organisation's Skills Development Framework Platinum Gold Silver Bronze New Course Accreditation Of Academic or Vocational Training Courses Platinum Gold Silver Bronze National Occupational Standards In Project Control, Estimating, Planning and Cost Engineering Course Accreditation will be similar in principle to Company Accreditation with a clear emphasis on the NOS Ref: 2017 Association of Cost Engineers 12/06/

29 Ref: 2017 Association of Cost Engineers 12/06/

30 The Professional Association Accreditation of Cost Engineers Summary and Questions Ref: 2017 Association of Cost Engineers 12/06/

31 Competency Professional Accreditation The ACostE can offer individuals stepping stones to full Professional Accreditation: Professional Recognition by a Professional Body Personal Tiered Accreditation Enrolled Cost Engineer Registered Cost Engineer Incorporated Cost Engineer Certified Professional Cost Engineer Develop through the Tiers at your own pace Range of Academic or Vocational Qualifications are accepted Intrinsically aligned with all underpinned by Engineering Accreditation Entry level based on Qualifications and Experience Level 2 Level 3 Level 5 Vocational Qualifications National Occupational Standards In Project Control, Estimating, Planning and Cost Engineering Engineering Technician Incorporated Engineer Chartered Engineer Join at the level appropriate to you << For example Where appropriate we can provide the option to become a Chartered Engineer Ref: 2017 Association of Cost Engineers 12/06/