effectiveness of competences and competencies during transition from higher education to employment:...

Effectiveness of Competences and Competencies during Transition from Higher Education to Employment: A Case

Study of Community Learning and Development (CLD) qualifying training in Scotland

DECOWE Conference 2009, Slovenia

Divya Jindal-Snape & Michael Naulty, University of Dundee, UK

Where are we?

Scotland

Dundee and University of Dundee

Transition from Higher Education to Employment

• on-going process that focuses on interactions between an individual and significant others in that individual’s environment

• satisfying and fulfilling

• challenging and stressful

The Competence versus Competency Debate

“The competence of professionals derives from their possessing a set of relevant attributes such as knowledge, skills and attitudes. These attributes jointly underlie competence and are often referred to as competencies.”

Gonzi et al., 1993, 5-6

Stages of Competence/ies

(1) Novice(2) Advanced Beginner(3) Competence(4) Proficiency(5) Expertise(6) Mastery(7) Practical Wisdom

Dreyfus, 2001

What is Community Learning and Development?

• learning and social development work – with individuals and groups – in their communities – using a range of formal and informal methods

• defining feature is that programmes and activities are developed in dialogue with communities and participants

Professional Training in CLD

In Scotland-awarded by four Higher Education Institutes (HEI) at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels

– academic approval through HEI quality assurance processes

– professional endorsement

CLD professional training

Attempts to construct a curriculum that provides

• competence as a combination of personal abilities (competency)

• their effective application in professional role (competence)

Purpose of research

• To explore whether current CLD training in Scotland is meeting these demands and preparing students for transition to work in an ever evolving field

METHODOLOGY

• Multiple phase design across Scotland– 63 CLD employers (36 voluntary & 27

statutory sector) responded to a questionnaire– based on results, focus groups were

conducted to collect in-depth qualitative data from a wider group of stakeholders (CLD students, n=4; newly qualified practitioners [NQP], n=10; employers/agencies, n=15; minority groups, n=2 and training providers, n=8)

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

• Role of the CLD practitioner • Desirable abilities and attributes of a CLD

practitioner• Views on the current set of competences used to

assess initial qualifying performance in CLD • Views about Training Provision• Readiness of newly qualified CLD practitioners for

the transition to employment• Strengths of newly qualified CLD practitioners• Gaps in preparedness for transition to employment • New skills required of a CLD practitioner for smooth

transition in a constantly changing field

Role of the CLD practitioner

• To work with people to meet their identified needs• To operate in a locality/community at a group and 1:1

level• To work towards meeting these needs in partnership

with local people and related professionals and agencies• Development of purposeful community engagement. • To engage in socially situated learning and development

aimed towards social justice and inclusion

Desirable abilities and attributes of a CLD practitioner

• Honesty/integrity • Communication Skills• Working with the

Public• Working in a Team• Confidentiality• Sensitivity• Empathy Skills

• Flexibility• Dependability• Coping Skills• Willingness to learn• Time Keeping• Time Management• Record Keeping• Creativity

Newly Qualified Practitioner

Views on the current set of competences

• Most essential– to engage with the community– using a range of formal and informal educational methods and

techniques – developing confidence, knowledge, skills and understanding of

participants;– organising and delivering quality activities and projects – applying the principles underlying community education in

practice– demonstrating skills in report writing and presentation for a

variety of audiences • Competency approach was relevant but the current array

of competences should be refreshed• Competences should be aligned with appropriate

frameworks in Scotland and the rest of Europe

Views about Training Provision

• current training provision – 85% good to excellent– 12% adequate – 3% inadequate to poor

• qualifying training should be generic in nature and specialist training should be post qualifying CPD

Readiness of newly qualified practitioners for transition to

employment• preparedness for employment of the

newly qualified staff – 83% good to excellent – 7% adequate

• capacity to undertake their work– 88% good to excellent– 12% adequate

Employer’s view

Strengths of newly qualified CLD practitioners

• Enthusiastic, keen to learn, motivated, commitment, eagerness, fresh approach, flexibility, new ideas, challenging existing staff to reflect on their own practice, sometimes naive but thoughtful questions, sceptical, creative and open

• Integration of theory and practice• Up-to-date understanding of theoretical

perspectivesEmployer’s view

Gaps in preparedness for transition to employment

• Coping Skills• Sensitivity• Communication Skills• Flexibility• Empathy Skills• Record Keeping• Creativity• Working in a Team

New skills required of a CLD practitioner for smooth transition in a constantly

changing field

• Partnership Working

• Conflict Management

• Facilitation and Meeting Skills

• Child Protection

• Inter-professional working

CONCLUSION

• Key attributes and abilities were divided into hard and soft skills and knowledge base areas

• NQP were well prepared for employment• Current modes of qualifying training delivery beneficial

but parity across modes needs to be assured • Competency approach was appropriate for professional

development and as a preparation for transition to work • Important to focus on soft skills (competencies) which

indicate the process rather than the outcome driven hard skills (competences) alone

CONCLUSION contd.

• The challenge for the training providers – to refresh the competences within their programmes– to make soft skills/competencies more explicit in the

curriculum – to pilot ways of developing these attributes and

competencies

• Raises questions about – Can these soft skills/competencies be developed and

assessed?– Should they be?

Contact

Divya Jindal-Snaped.jindalsnape@dundee.ac.uk

Michael Naultym.naulty@dundee.ac.uk