The Qualifications Triangle and Competency Development A vision for the collaboration between practical training companies, educational institutions and knowledge centres Aequor Ede
Competency Development in Context A great deal of flexibility is expected of workers in the labour market, because organisations are innovating and professions are changing. That flexibility is in itself a fundamental competency. A competent employee is able to choose between relevant working methods in his working environment. He contributes to the results that the company has chosen to pursue. Competency development is not only motivated by the interests of a company, but also by personal, macroeconomic and societal interests. The conception of competency development as an investment in human capital enhances the productivity and continuity of companies, and also the economy. Furthermore, it is in line with the objectives formulated in Lisbon in 2000, when the EU Member States set out to work more actively for a knowledge economy in which all citizens would be as well educated as possible. This also motivates competency development from the perspective of the individual, with concepts such as personal development, self esteem, professional identity and increased opportunities in the labour market. This also extends to the interests of wider society. In fact, better competency development makes it easier for people find their place in society, thereby making it less likely that they will drop out. Players To achieve optimal competency development it is best to be surrounded by the most conducive conditions for this. There are three distinct core players present in the employment and education system in the Netherlands: - practical training companies, - educational institutions and - knowledge centres on vocational training for the world of business. These knowledge centres are an active partner in the spheres of education and business as they produce a competent working population. They supervise and support practical training companies and educational institutions in their work to develop people. This involves the knowledge centres adopting innovative techniques and good partnership. Competency-focused training has an integrated approach to learning theory and learning in a practical setting. Workplace training gives the employee insights into the real-world work setting and the demands that it brings with it. This gives him the feeling that he is doing something meaningful, the work reinforces his working identity and he is able to see his own competencies and the competencies that need to be developed further. Reflectivity is essential to a competency-focused approach. The benefits of practical training are greatest when the practical component is substantially integrated into the training programme. As well as combining theory and practice, competency development also implies a more individual approach. More and more educational institutions draw up a personalised development plan with their students. Collaboration of a different kind is required between practical training companies and educational institutions to achieve this kind of personalised tailoring. It means that the student, the educational institution and the practical training company have to clearly agree what part they will each play in the student s development process. The Model for Collaboration In order to support and facilitate this changing form of collaboration, Aequor has developed a model called the Qualifications Triangle. This model is the result of Aequor s vision of the collaboration processes between the players in the employment and education system. This vision is also articulated in Aequor s mission statement: To forge effective links between the spheres of business and vocational education and to deliver visible added value in developing current or future employees in organisations through an innovative and people-orientated organisation. This is the basis upon which Aequor operates in the employment and education system. The Qualifications Triangle is all about working together to deliver competent employers and employees. This model applies to both initial development programmes and also the development of people who are already active in the labour market. This publication will further develop Aequor s vision of collaboration within the employment and education system. It will explain the Qualifications Triangle model.
Aequor wants this publication to act as a source of inspiration for building a partnership between educational institutions, practical training companies and knowledge centres. Such a partnership will lead to more quickly and more effectively enhancing the competency development of the professional population and increasing participation in employment. This makes it increasingly possible for companies to have competent employees, guaranteeing their continuity and potential profitability. Furthermore, Aequor wants this publication to make all the actors within the Qualifications Triangle aware of their common interests and the specific roles they each play. Education, business and knowledge centre working together for optimal competency development. The Optimum of Competency Development The factors that are important to achieving optimal competency development can be found in the subject literature. These factors are mainly based on educational and organisational theories. Alongside these, formal tasks and responsibilities also play a role. To a large extent, the formal framework determines what room there is for manoeuvre. In this chapter we will set out the ideal ways that competency development can be brought about within the formal framework. Formal Framework In the Netherlands, educational institutions, practical training companies and knowledge centres all play their own roles in the employment and education system. Below we will briefly set out the formal tasks and responsibilities involved in shaping competency development. The Practical Training Company The company providing a practical training placement is responsible for supporting the student within the company where he or she works (the term student in this context refers to both young people and adults taking part in an intermediate vocational training programme). Only officially accredited practical training companies are authorised to deliver practical training for the purposes of qualifying for a nationally accredited diploma of intermediate vocational education. When making its assessment, the educational institution takes into consideration the practical training company s assessment of the student s capabilities as a future professional.
The Educational Institution The educational institution delivers training courses in such a way that the student can achieve the qualification criteria within the fixed duration of the course. The educational institution assesses whether the student has managed to meet the agreed qualification criteria and involves the training provider s assessment for this purpose. As part of the tasks that educational institutions perform, they are also partly responsible for access to education and consistent harmonisation across their training programmes. An educational institution is also required to make provisions for career guidance and career support. The educational institution ensures that a practical training contract is drawn up for the practical training provided. The Knowledge Centre One of the knowledge centre s tasks is to support and periodically assess the quality of practical training placements. Knowledge centres assess practical training companies on the basis of accreditation regulations. The criteria of the accreditation regulations are published and the knowledge centres are jointly responsible for maintaining a public registry of accredited practical training companies. A second task of theirs is to ensure that there are sufficient practical training companies available to provide practical training. The knowledge centre also has to take part in developing and maintaining a national qualification structure, orientated towards societal needs in view of the employment prospects open to graduates as well as international developments. Practical Training Before a practical training company can provide practical training, a contract needs to be drawn up between the student, the practical training company and the educational institution. When it involves apprenticeship training, this contract is also signed on behalf of the management of the knowledge centre. The contract regulates the rights and obligations of all the involved parties. It includes agreements on at least the following points: the duration of the contract and length of the period of practical training; how the student will be supervised; what the time on practical placement will include; the circumstances under which the contract can be broken. If a change of circumstances means that the practical training can not proceed according to plan, the educational institution and the knowledge centre need to make provisions for an alternative placement. Research into the benefits added by practical training to students professional abilities and personal development 5 has explained a number of its characteristics. An effective training workplace is beneficial. The training workplace replicates the setting in which the material learnt will need to be applied at a later stage. It encourages the student to engage in shaping the training itself. What s more, the training workplace is entirely true to life and, by instilling an increased sense of responsibility in students, supports the development of their learning skills. An effective training workplace systematically increases the student s awareness of his or her own competency development. Competency development is focused on shaping people to go on to apply adequate knowledge, skills and attitudes in changing circumstances in order to achieve the desired objectives. It is therefore essential to integrate knowledge, skills and attitudes throughout the development process. The activities that a professional carries out in practice have to constitute in their entirety the basis of competency development. The objective of these activities is the key. The assessment of competencies focuses on the process and result of pursuing an objective. When developing and assessing competencies it is crucial to think about them from the perspective of the whole towards to the separate parts, whereby the whole is worth more than the sum of its constituent parts7. A number of tasks and responsibilities can be derived from the above theories on optimal competency development and traced back to the various actors. Practical training company Practical training companies are first and foremost a component of a business sector providing products and services. Within their sector, they either serve consumers directly or they provide semi-finished products to other companies. As they work to achieve the best commercial result possible, they also dedicate an important portion of their attention to the competency development of workers. Competency development at the practical training company requires more than simply providing the physical facilities needed to offer practical training. The interests that practical training companies have in developing students into competent professionals should lead to practical training occupying a major place in business operations and strategy. Practical training companies must operate with an integrated vision of practical training. That allows practical training to be delivered in a considered way and harmonised with the particular situation experienced in the company. As well as the attention that business operations as a whole should devote to practical training, subject literature also describes certain conditions for the design of competency development.
Onstenk distinguishes between four particular quality conditions which a practical training placement must meet in order to make it possible to acquire professional skills8: Its realistic character Its realistic character refers to the extent to which the practical training company offers a training placement that gives a true reflection of a real workplace. Its developmental value Its developmental value refers the importance of a student coming into contact with the core tasks of the profession. Does he experience all the dilemmas faced in the workplace in practice, and is he stimulated to take part in working with these core tasks? Its didactic style Is enough attention paid to the pedagogical and didactic aspects of the training programme? Its institutional value Its institutional value refers to practical aspects such as regular contact between the training course and the practical training company. It is important for the workplace trainer to discuss with the student why he does certain things and why he takes certain decisions. This takes the underlying theory out of the abstract dimension and into the professional setting. This teaches the student to reflect and makes effective transfer of competencies more likely.9. The workplace trainer is the pivot of the entire practical training. He has to be an expert in the profession and able to give training, as well as being motivated10. Educational institution Achieving optimal quality in competency development also entails a range of other tasks for the educational institution. These include tasks such as using accredited practical training companies and inspecting the specific options offered by these companies. So, they need to select the right workplaces11. Educational institutions must be familiar with the training workplace that the practical training company can offer, and which companies therefore best lend themselves to achieving the objectives which have been set. Ensuring that the student and practical training company suit each other is also conducive for the quality of competency development. This includes considering the student s wishes, and that the workplace trainer and the student are able to work well together. Another related quality criterion is carefully choosing the stage in the training course at which to hold the practical training placement. The educational institution should bear in mind coordinating its own programme with the work activities that are carried out in the practical training company at a given time of year. The student s supervision by the educational institution is highly important throughout the period of practical training. The teacher involved is appointed the training programme supervisor for this purpose. As competency development is the result of interaction between a person and a workplace environment12, it is vital that competency development is supervised from the perspective of close involvement with the workplace. That makes it necessary to maintain close contact. The quality criteria for competency-focused training by implication give the teacher a multifaceted role13. The role of the teacher is predominantly as a supervisor for the student s individual training programme. He facilitates the environment in which the competency development takes place, which relates to the didactic factors required for optimal competency development14. There are various aspects which play a part in this. High-value training activities need to be employed in a balanced and varied way, i.e. the training activities which are suited to the objectives and content of the development programme. Links also must be made to the context in which competencies are used, and there needs to be attention paid at the same time to transfer-orientated learning. A third aspect is the attention paid to learner motivation, which involves the importance and relevance of learning objectives and self confidence. Moreover, the development of metacognitive skills is an important aspect. Finally, the training programme s self regulation aspect contributes to competency development. Knowledge Centre The ways in which a knowledge centre contributes to optimal competency development are concentrated around stimulating and organising practical training in the training company and offering their expertise and infrastructure15. One of the main aspects is advising the practical training company. The knowledge centre can be a guide for the workplace trainer to follow when designing practical training. On topics such as the learning organisation, lifelong learning and accreditation of acquired competencies (EVC in Dutch), the knowledge centre should provide competency management, information and guidance tools adapted for the practical training company. For optimal competency development it is also important that the knowledge centre supports the educational institution by providing information on developments in the labour market, the quality of practical training placements and designing competency-focused development processes.
Development of a clear and up-to-date qualification structure, and support when implementing it, will eventually result in a set of nationally-recognised requirements that will form the basis of optimal competency development. Competency Development and the Qualifications Triangle We have painted a picture of the challenges facing practical training companies, educational institutions and knowledge centres when it comes to achieving optimal competency development. This chapter describes how the model of the Qualifications Triangle offers a way forwards. Developments on the Labour Market In order to be able to anticipate demand from companies for qualified professionals it is very important to keep a clear picture of developments in the labour market. Over the past few years, companies have gone through a period of downturn. The labour shortage in the years before that resulted in a rise in the cost of wages, and that put businesses margins under pressure. The economy is now gradually beginning to recover, but for real growth it is essential that the labour market develops accordingly31. As well as the economic climate, the aging population has an impact on the labour market too. The drain on knowledge and expertise from companies that this causes is leading to a rapidly increasing demand for them to be replaced by adequately qualified staff. These companies also have a growing need for innovation potential. The intensity of knowledge is increasing and employers and employees have a constant need to develop competencies to keep up with technological advances32. Lifelong learning is an essential topic for everyone who is mobile in the labour market. Another typical feature of the Dutch economy is the influx of skilled staff from abroad at the same time as many business operations are relocating to other countries. Employability for professionals who are insufficiently skilled is therefore falling. The demand for highly qualified staff is actually increasing which thereby produces a shortage in that segment of the labour market. Both of these developments are damaging for the economy. Communicating and Joining Forces Responding to developments in the labour market calls for practical training companies, educational institutions and knowledge centres to link and coordinate with each other. Only by joining forces and communicating well can we achieve an optimal result. It is therefore crucially important for all involved parties to be aware of the interests of the others and to work together for the development process of the student. Intense consultation between the involved parties allows them to know what they can expect from one another, allows coordination of the activities and allows them to agree on what objectives they want to achieve. To bring about the kind of collaboration we aspire to, it is important to build up experience with working methods that are suitable and acceptable for all the parties involved. New initiatives set up by knowledge centres are aiming to stimulate educational institutions and practical training companies to work together more, and more efficiently. This involves efforts to organise and support a more intensive exploitation of the expertise and opportunities that they can offer each other. Aequor has made the first steps to anticipate changes in society and the changing demands that are made of people. This is what the Qualifications Triangle model has been developed for. This model is the result of Aequor s vision of the collaboration processes between the players in the employment and education system. We examined which factors were important in a number of projects for effective collaboration and built up experience with the working methods that can be used to that end. This led to the further development of the Qualifications Triangle model. Its application allows for the full benefit of students, educational establishments and businesses. Tasks and Responsibilities of the Core Players Each of the core players has its own role to play within the Qualifications Triangle. These entail particular tasks and responsibilities. Aequor produces a competency profile for the practical training company in which it spells out its roles and responsibilities33. The practical training company has a role to facilitate this. The practical training company creates an effective training workplace that relates to the objectives of the student s development programme. The practical training company also acts as a sounding board for the educational institution. It is pro-active in translating developments in the sector or the region into its training programmes. For example, the practical training company provides input into practical assignments or skill assessments. In this respect the practical training company acts as a sparring partner for the educational institution. The practical training company is additionally responsible for assessing the development of the student s competencies, in dialogue with the educational institution. The form or forms that this assessment takes is dependent on what it agrees with the educational institution. The practical training company is responsible for workplace training processes throughout the period of practical training. The workplace trainer is the individual within the practical
training company who initiates decisions, acts as the point of contact and supplements the company s facilitatory role. He also acts as a coach. He stimulates the student at the workplace in his personal and professional development. He also organises and coordinates development activities and monitors the progress of the practical training process. The educational institution has a developing and coordinating role. It designs the training programme on the basis of the qualification structure and is ultimately responsible for the training process as a whole. The educational institution ensures that all the facets of the qualification are on offer, the learning in theory and practice are in harmony and that the student is properly prepared for the period of practical training. The educational institution has the additional task of providing the practical training company with practical training tools and safeguarding competency assessment. The coordinating role also consists of initiating and maintaining close contacts with the practical training company and company advisors at knowledge centres. The training programme supervisor, who is the individual within the educational institution who acts as the pivot of collaboration between the workplace trainer and the company advisor, briefs the practical training company on the objectives of the practical training for individual students and provides information on the training programme. He maintains contact with the company advisor from within the educational institution. This contact is mainly centred on the exchange of information about suitable training companies. The role of the knowledge centre is to initiate, advise and support34. The initiating role involves forging links between the involved parties. Advising and supporting consist of supervising the practical training company in designing and/or optimising its development processes. The knowledge centre also provides substantial support for educational institutions and practical training companies on competency development and competency assessment. The knowledge centre delivers a sufficient number of accredited practical training companies of a high quality, and ensures that educational institutions are able to use them. The knowledge centre is responsible for enhancing and safeguarding the quality of practical training placements. When enhancing the harmonisation between labour market and educational sphere, the knowledge centre uses the competencyfocused qualification structure as an instrument and provides relevant and up-to-date information on trends and developments in the labour market. The company advisor provides a central role in the Qualifications Triangle. For the other players in the Qualifications Triangle he acts as a source of expertise on sectoral and regional developments and for competency management within organisations35. He additionally plays an important role as a relationship manager and networker, forging links between supply and demand in the field of competency development. As well as contacts with practical training companies and educational institutions, this entails him maintaining contacts with other partners on a regional level, such as centres for work and income (CWIs), regional departments of sector organisations, business community networks, sector advisory committees, regional sector associations and regional governments. The parameters of these collaboration processes are shown in the model. The relationships between all the players involved are reciprocal. The collaboration processes between Aequor as a knowledge centre and the practical training company are primarily focused on Aequor providing guidance and support and the practical training companies providing regional input on qualifications and labour market data. These are also the lines along which services are designed such as the quality standard and the practical training handbook, with the objective of coaching the workplace trainer and improving the quality of practical training. Collaboration between the practical training company and educational institution is focused on specifically shaping competency development programmes for individual students. This concerns the way practical training is given at the practical training company, as well as developing the teaching which is not delivered at the practical training company. The collaboration processes between Aequor and the educational institution involve the exchange of information on practical training companies. Parties also work together towards developing the qualification structure and information provision to involved parties, for example by means of conferences and other information meetings. Results of Qualifications Triangle Collaboration Reaching clear agreements on the collaboration between practical training companies, educational institutions and the knowledge centre, and drawing on each other s specific expertise, have produced a process, in the form of the Qualifications Triangle, which enhances the quality of competency development. That process stimulates the expansion of the competencies of future workers. The Qualifications Triangle envisages a robust network of practical training companies, the educational institution and the knowledge centre. The educational institution plays a leading role in this, by designing training programmes to develop students competencies. The knowledge centre plays a coordinating role by stimulating communication and collaboration between the core players. Lasting working relationships are forged. This results in practical training companies, educational institutions and the knowledge centre growing together with developments. They get to know what they can expect from each other. This ensures students receive targeted support throughout their development process into fully developed professionals.