SKILL STANDARDS and Skill Profiling 101

SKILL STANDARDS AND SKILL PROFILING – 101

Skill Standards and Skill Profiles answer two critical questions:

1. What do workers need to know and be able to do to succeed in today’s workplace? 2. And how do we know when workers are performing well?

Without this fundamental information, employers do not know whom to hire or where to focus their limited training dollars; employees and new entrants to the workforce do not know what they need to do to improve their performance; and educators do not know how to prepare students for the challenges of the workplace.

The goal of a Skill Standards or skill profiling process is to specify the critical work functions, key activities, performance indicators and knowledge, skills, and abilities an individual needs to succeed in certain occupations. The major difference between a skills standards process and a skill profiling process is the length of time it takes to conduct the process. A full skills standards process typically takes 2 full days of focus groups with employees and employers. A skills profiling process typically takes one full day focus group with employees, sometimes with a follow up survey to employers. In both cases, the resulting product should support the development of new curriculum and the strengthening of existing curriculum in programs leading to certain careers in an industry.

What is a skill panel? A skill panel is a group of skilled workers with in-depth knowledge of the hands-on skills required to perform the job tasks in a technical position.

How are skill standards and profiles used?

 Industry: Recruiting, hiring, training and promoting employees  Incumbent Workforce: Advancing careers and/or reentering the workforce  Future Workforce/Students: Understanding/acquiring skills needed to attain high wage jobs  Labor: Ensuring employees benefit from high paying career opportunities  Government: Linking education reform initiatives, workforce training and economic development  Educators and Trainers: Developing curriculum and teaching to the required skills sets

1 Who Participates? Employees are the Subject Matter Experts Typically to develop full skill standards or an occupational profile an all-day focus group of employees who actually work in the occupations being studied is required. The focus groups should consist of 12 front-line employees who represent the same or similar occupations, from many different companies. The group may also contain managers or other knowledgeable persons with extensive, current knowledge about those occupations.

How Industry Can Contribute – Recruiting Participants The goal is to recruit 12 participants for the focus group meeting. This requires employers and labor partners where applicable to identify and support employees to participate in the meeting. It is imperative to have an adequate number of knowledgeable employees for each occupation participate so the standards will be valid for the industry. It is necessary to have employees from many different places of employment to ensure that a range of work environments is represented.

Industry must also participate directly via survey (more typical for occupational profiling), or via a separate focus group meeting (necessary for full skills standards). Written surveys and focus groups of employers supplement data collection about foundation skills required. This information is essential to cross-check with findings from the employee focus groups.

The Process Ideally a facilitator with experience in developing skill standards leads the focus group(s). There is a set agenda, but the format is very interactive and discussion-based. Getting input from all participants about their work functions, activities, knowledge and skills is one key goal. Reaching agreement about the scope and content of the information is another. The process includes fast-paced and intensive discussions about work functions, activities and skills, but it is also a fun and rewarding experience for participants. Similarly, the focus group with employers or the written survey is designed to gather supplemental information about needed skills, knowledge, daily work functions, and job descriptions. The industry employers then review draft standards before final documents are produced.

2 The Products – Some examples o Electrician Forman III

o Lineman

Renewable Energy o Lineman Foreman III http://cleanenergyexcellence.org/skill-panel/renewable-energy/ o Power System Control Craftsman I & II

o Wind Turbine Technician

Energy http://cleanenergyexcellence.org/skill-panel/energy-industry/

o Utility Customer Service Representatives

o Electrician

o Instrument Technician

o Lineman Agriculture/Food Processing

o Milwright http://agcenterofexcellence.com/skill-standards/

Power Generation o Agricultural and Diesel Equipment Mechanic http://cleanenergyexcellence.org/skill-panel/power-generation/ o Irrigation Technician

o Combustion Turbine Technician Skill Standards o John Deere Agriculture Equipment Technician

o Plant Electricians o Turf Equipment Service Technician

o Plant Operators o Turf Management Technician

Power Distribution/Utilities o Laboratory Technician http://cleanenergyexcellence.org/skill-panel/bpa/ o Maintenance/General Mechanic

o Chief Substation Operator III o Operator

3 o Sanitation o Infant/Toddler Specialist

o Trimmer/Inspector/Belt Sorter o School-age Care Professional

o Urban Food Systems Technician o Para-Educator Training (General, ESL, Special-Ed)

Natural Resources o Professional Technical College and Customized Trainers http://agcenterofexcellence.com/skill-standards/ Printing and Publishing

o Environmental Technician http://www.cpisc-csic.ca/eng/standards-skills.html

o Fisheries Technician o Print Executive

o Forestry Technician o Production Manager

o GIS Specialist o Production Coordinator

o Natural Resources Technician o Print Estimator

Information Technology o Sales http://www.coeforict.org/resources/skill-standards/ o PrePress

o Core Information and Computing Technology o Color Specialist

o Digital Media Systems Analysis and Integration o Output Specialist

o Network Design and Administration o Bindery

o Programming/Software Engineering o Finishing

o IT Soft Skills o Flexographic Press Operator

Education o Digital Press Operator http://www.careersined.org/skill-standards.shtm o Lithographics Sheetfed Offset/Web Offset Press Operator

o Family Child Care Provider Residential Construction

4 http://cengagesites.com/academic/?site=4389&SecID=884

o Residential Carpentry

o Residential Electrician

o Residential HVAC

o Residential Plumbing

o Residential Masonry

o Residential Facilities Maintenance

Advanced Materials and Manufacturing

o Semiconductor Manufacturing Technician: http://matec.org/cd/_images/SkillStandards.pdf

o Nanotechnology Core Competencies: http://www.materialseducation.org/educators/competencies/