APIC´s approach to professional competency assessment is based on a comprehensive framework, competency scale, criteria and tools developed to capture the high level performance needed from managers in today´s fast changing world.
APIC assists individual professionals to determine the competency areas that are relevant to them and their employer or client organisations. This is achieved through APIC´s professional development planning process.
What is competence?
APIC’s approach to competence-based training should be distinguished from vocational training. Competency assessment is a controversial concept. The term competence or competency is commonly taken to mean task dexterity and workplace skills. It is assessed in terms of knowledge, skills and attitude. This understanding is still the foundation for assessment and development of competence in the majority of professional certification schemes. It dates back to industrial age where task repetition was common and one could learn the best-in-class approaches and emulate these to deliver new tasks.
The question is how relevant and valid these concepts are in today’s environment of change and uncertainty. Competence is about autonomy, self reference and group self organisation, that is the specific self-image, values, traits, and motive dispositions (relatively enduring qualities) that empower professional people to perform well despite the vagaries of times.
APIC’s competence-based training reflects the qualities that underpin outstanding performance; it is constructed to shift the thinking of managers from normative to transformative state. It recognises that possession of knowledge, skills and attitude by themselves will not be sufficient; systems thinking and emotional intelligence are the pillars of superior managerial performance. Successful leadership in today’s environment requires meta-cognitive abilities, affective and conative competence, as well as skills in negotiation and influence.
How competent are you?
APIC offers a suite of assessment tools that enable any practitioner in the field of project, program, portfolio and organisation management to assess his/her competencies systematically, and receive own scorecard.
CAT is an effective tool for assessment of competencies and for maintaining and improving them over time. CAT enables the professional person to select the competencies that he/she needs for a particular assignment or set these with reference to the functions being performed. He/she can then conduct self assessment either at unit or element level, obtain a report and save the results into a secure online database for future reference. Users can analyse the before and after training results, record a portfolio of competencies and obtain historical trends of their competency development. They can manage their competency portfolio online.
CAT can also assist an individual to view the development areas that need attention from the metrics incorporated into the assessment matrices.CAT’s assessment is based on the APIC’s Chart of Competencies that is a comprehensive competency model in this field.
Decide on your training/development
The development/training scope for the professional person under consideration can then be selected to address the respective competency gaps. Note that each competency area has a corresponding competency-based learning and development package (called unit of study). A unit of study in APIC is different to traditional course units/subjects in that in addition to emphasising knowledge acquisition the focus is on holistic application of knowledge, as well as development of leadership and behavioural competencies.
APIC provides a learning laboratory that facilitates project-based learning under mentoring in all units of study. Real life projects and organisations are employed as the site of learning. This approach contextualises learning, further providing opportunities for continuous reflection, learning and development.
The student/practitioner is thus able to select course units that are needed to address his/her competency gaps. In addition to APIC units of study the candidates are able to utilise other learning and development opportunities within the work environment, or through social engagements etc. Such activities should specifically configured to respond to specific training and learning outcomes.
APIC’s CAT program generates summarised scorecard of the type shown below:
Compile your L&D Plan
The purpose of an L&D Planner is to enable the student/practitioner to progress through a training program in a proper and organised manner. It is the basis for development or enhancement of professional competencies and should address the competency gaps.
APIC’s CAT provides a summarised and easy to understand scorecard that clearly indicates the scope of learning and development in each competency area in a graphical manner (see the above example). Competency scores can be applied within the L&D Planner program to develop a dedicated L&D Plan.
The Planner is an interactive online program that embodies a process which can be completed by the student or practitioner interactively. The output of that process is a preliminary L&D Plan that can be downloaded and edited subsequently. It can be updated regularly using either L&D Planner program or normal document editing tools.
The L&D Plan developed by APIC’s Planner is a structured and individualised document reflecting fully the needs and aspirations of the student under consideration. Preparation of the L&D Plan is a major task and cannot be treated lightly as the eventual L&D Plan will be a personalised program of training/study that a student/manager completes. It will be a base document for both self management as well as the College and Employer’s review of the student/manager’s progress through the program. Preparation of the individual L&D Plan should follow a structured approach as per the methodology taught in the PDP Workshop and embedded in the L&D Planner tool.
For the eventual L&D Plan to be accepted by the College it needs to conform to the Guidelines & Specification for L&D Plan Preparation. You need to read the Guidelines in conjunction with the information and advice given in the PDP Workshop. (Note: Every formal graduate student of APIC is required to develop a personalised L&D Plan on commencement of his/her studies with APIC.)