COMPETENCY BASED TRAINING IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN
Recent developments. Some experiences. January, 2003

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The supervisory role of INFOTEP in the development of the National System of Vocational Training for Productive Work in the Dominican Republic.

The National Institute of Technical - Vocational Training (INFOTEP) (http://www.infotep.gov.do/), as a model of collegiate management based on the tripartite principle, has made notable progress in the integration of the National System of Vocational Training for Productive Work. Various mechanisms of integration and participation have been set up, in which important elements of the system, of the environment, and of the different areas of instruction come together.

What stands out among these mechanisms are those that have to do with the integration of the productive sectors (consultative committees, technical commissions, planning committees, evaluation commissions, etc.), those that have to do with the integration of the components of the system and inter-institutional coordination (delegated management centres, shared management centre, development projects with international bodies and organizations), those that have to do with supporting institutional and system management (control commission, budget committee, revenue commission, etc); and those connected to regional strategic alliances through the conclusion of agreements and conventions (the Cooperation Agreement on Vocational Training Institutions in the Central American Isthmus and the Dominican Republic, the agreement with the CONOCER in Mexico, etc.).

Such mechanisms allow the tripartite model of management to be widened and complemented, extending levels of coordination and the participation of large socioeconomic groups in the institution itself, improving efficiency and efficacy, increasing and diversifying the offer of training by using the installed capacity of the collaborating centres, and incorporating new strategies and training methodologies to satisfy demand from industry, which is facing a new economic scenario characterized by high levels of competitiveness.

INFOTEP has successfully implemented the methodology of the measurement and improvement of productivity, which utilizes the diagnosis of competencies which have to be developed by a company's human resources in order to attain a full application and development of human talent, give sense and relevance to training, and apply to the development of the productivity indicators in the companies that benefit. The central idea turns on the role of training for developing the competencies which contribute to improving the company's competitiveness. The institute has documented a number of successful applications of this methodology which combine training with the management of competitiveness.

TheNational Technological Institute (INATEC) in Nicaragua (http://www.inatec.edu.ni) has also worked on the reformulation of its programs with a labour competency focus. Using competency analysis methodologies like AMOD and SCID, the INATEC updated its training programs, mainly in the area of industry. This methodology foresees the analysis of the competencies and sub-competencies which go to make up an occupation, and facilitates the development of a curriculum, of didactic support materials and of guides to self-evaluation.

The National Institute of Educational Cooperationa (INCE) in Venezuela (http://www.inces.gob.ve/) has also begun updating its programs using the labour competency focus. It has used functional analysis for identifying competencies, and is running a pilot application in the automobile mechanics area. It has recently had technical support from INTECAP in Guatemala in training a group of officials to be in charge of analyzing occupations and designing training programs.

The National Institute for Labour Training (INFOCAL) in Bolivia is developing the analysis of competencies to update its training programs in different areas. To this end, it has begun applying functional analysis, and is working on the formulation of a methodology of program design linked to a national training framework based on a national classification of occupations 6.

 

 

 

 

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6. Further information on each one of the training institutions at www.oitcinterfor.org/public/english/region/ampro/cinterfor/ifp/index.htm

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