33. What is the certification process in a standardised system of labour competency?

The assessment and certification process is described in the following chart:

As an example, the process defined by CONOCER, Mexico,(1) is here described:

The candidate to be assessed is introduced to the certifying body.
This body carries out a pre-diagnosis of competencies.
The candidate is referred to an assessment centre.
An assessor is appointed.
An assessment plan is drawn up.
A portfolio of evidences is applied and integrated.
An assessment judgement is issued.
There is a positive verdict regarding certification.
The certification is issued.

The process begins with the introduction of the candidate to the certifying body. There, apart from filling in the request form, a pre-diagnosis of competency is carried out in order to determine:

The competency status with respect to the unit or to the qualification to be certified.

The chances of success of the candidate to obtain a certificate in such competency.

By analysing the obtained results, the candidate may be referred to an assessment process in a recognised assessment centre or, if that fails, he may be encouraged to begin a training process in order to strengthen his competencies in the areas he is not well acquainted with.

After the pre-diagnosis, the certifying body appoints an assessor who agrees on the appropriate assessment plan with the candidate. Here, the assessment strategy is established, thus ensuring the transparency of the process. After that, the assessment plan is executed by applying the corresponding instruments to collect evidence of performance and of knowledge of the competency being assessed.

The candidate may gather registers of evidence of performance in different stages of his experience with respect to a labour qualification and present the assessor with such documents included in a “portfolio of evidences”. In this way, the assessor will have a complete collection of verification instruments of the evidences in order to compare them with the details of the competency standard and thus pass his judgement: competent or not yet competent.

In the case of a “not yet competent” result, the units or elements in which the worker was not competent are carefully explained. The assessor must prepare a report for internal verification describing the process and including the results of the assessment.

After that, a group made up by people with enough expertise in the area of competency to be certified, indicates, based on the process, if the candidate will be certified or not. Finally, after the verdict, a labour competency certificate is drawn up and issued.

A “competent” result in the assessment allows the candidate to access certification. But, apart from what is expressed in the certificate, assessment enables individuals to have a comparative profile of their situation with respect to a technical labour competency standard. This information is very useful to decide which training programmes he should attend.

 

 

 

 

^{--------------------------------------------------}
1 CONOCER, Reforma estructural de la formación profesional y la capacitación, Powerpoint presentation, 2000. For more information see: www.conocer.org.mx

 

 

The Inter-American Centre for Knowledge Development in Vocational Training (ILO/Cinterfor)
Avda. Uruguay 1238 - Montevideo - Uruguay - Tel: (5982) 908 6023 - 902 0557 - 908 0545 - Fax: (5982) 902 1305
webmaster@cinterfor.org.uy

Copyright © 1996-2008 International Labour Organisation (ILO) - Disclaimer