26. What is a labour competency chart?

A labour competency chart is build up by making a doubleentry chart in which levels of competency are placed in rows while areas of competency are placed in columns.

The junction between levels of competency and area of competency defines sub-areas of competency: it is possible to place vocational qualifications made up by sets of units of basic, general and specific competency.

In countries such as Canada and United States, the amount of areas of competency varies but it keeps the five-level criterion. Although the occupational classification tools do not yet match with the charts of competency, the approach of labour competency that facilitates the concept of level and area of competency has fostered this approximation.

In Colombia, SENA adopted this structure as a reference to organise the National Classification of Occupations (CNO: Clasificación Nacional de Ocupaciones). The unification of an instrument such as the CNO that considered the labour market according to occupational contents and not only as an element of statistic classification facilitates the integration of market information systems with training instruments.

The following diagram shows the chart of the CNO suggested by SENA, Colombia:

The area of performance is connected with the type of activity to be carried out in order to fulfil an occupational purpose. Thus, there are areas of performance related to the processes of manufacturing, equipment and transport operation, administrative and logistic support of productive processes, social studies, artistic creation or health care or services.

This chart takes up the concept of qualification level that covers a combination of factors required for the performance of occupations such as: amount and type of education, training or experience required for the performance, degree of complexity of tasks, degree of autonomy and responsibility which are typical of the occupation.

There follows a description of the levels of qualification of the occupational chart of SENA:

Level A: In order to be admitted in these occupations it is necessary to have fulfilled a university plan of studies at a bachelor, master or doctorate level. The tasks are usually varied and complex, their performance demand a high degree of autonomy, responsibility for others’ work and, occasionally, regarding resources allocation.

Level B: These occupations frequently involve technical or technological studies. This level includes occupations with supervising responsibilities and activities that require creative and artistic aptitudes. The tasks corresponding to this level are in general very varied and a significant autonomy and assessment judgment for their performance is required. They frequently involve being in charge of others’ work.

Level C: These occupations generally imply having fulfilled a learning programme, basic secondary education plus training courses, on the job training or working experience. The tasks involved in these occupations combine physical and intellectual activities, which are sometimes complex. The activities developed are usually varied and some degree of autonomy is required for their performance. It includes intermediate qualification occupations.

Level D: In order to access these occupations, a minimum of education is required, that is, primary education. Labour experience is not required or, in the best of cases, it is minimum. In general, tasks are simple and repetitive, they refer to the performance of mainly physical activities and they require a high level of subordination.

This classification does not mention a specific level for management occupations since obtaining this kind of occupation is often more linked to external factors other than education and training.

 

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