Learning Leaders SIG: Competency-Based Program Development

Greetings Learning Leaders! May has arrived and with that comes our last meeting before taking a break for the summer months. . . . The 2015 / 2016 Learning Leaders SIG calendar has included some awesome discussions among peers and this month’s topic presents another great opportunity to connect and learn as we explore COMPETENCY-BASED PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT.

Competency-based training is not a new idea, but it is gaining new momentum as organizations struggle to staff their operations in an ever tightening job market where skilled workers are increasingly at a premium. One answer is to ‘grow your own’ by offering opportunities for existing staff to expand their value by acquiring new and valued competencies, often leading to career path opportunities. Consider the following statistics from Manpower Group’s 2015 Talent Shortage Survey:

• 32% of US employers said they are having difficulty filling jobs. (The survey ranked “Skilled Trade Worker” as the toughest job to fill)
• 54% of employers worldwide said skill gaps are having a high to medium impact on their ability to meet clients’ needs.
• 41% of those same employers said this problem is affecting their competitiveness.
• 34% cited “Lack of Technical Competencies” as a key factor affecting the level of difficulty in filling jobs.

Competency-based curriculum design has also taken hold in the halls of higher education as institutions are increasingly shifting to delivery models that recognize and reward “What learners can do” vs. “Time spent in seats”. The benefits to the learner are expanded opportunities for truly self-paced learning and accelerated timelines to earn the degree or certifications they seek. The impacts of this shift are wide-ranging, however, including significant changes in the role of the ‘Instructor’ from being (as one article put it) the ‘Sage on the Stage’ to the ‘Guide on the Side’. Organizations considering making a transition to Competency-Based Programs will also need to pay attention to a range of changes this model may require to reap the benefits, like having a much more rigorous focus on assessment of learning than is typical in most ‘Topic-Driven’ curriculum design approaches.

Questions we’ll consider . . .

• What is ‘Competency-Based’ development?
• Is it an all or nothing proposition, within our existing training programs?
• What is required to implement such a program?
• What are the key factors that have the biggest impact on success?
• How have our Learning Leader Peers utilized Competency-Based Development in their organizations?

Our open forum format is built on the practice of mutual learning and the collective genius that emerges from sharing our questions, comments and experiences with our Learning Leader peers in an informal setting. We invite you to add your voice to the conversation. Below are the details . . .

PREWORK: Read three short articles that will serve to prime the pump for our discussion.

http://www.ilsperformance.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Implementing-Competency-Based-Training.pdf

http://www.efrontlearning.net/blog/2015/10/4-ways-to-implement-a-competency-based-training-program.html

http://www.hr.com/en/topleaders/all_articles/boost-your-roi-with-targeted-training-steps-to-hel_in5ud0oy.html

We look forward to seeing you there!

Our Learning Leaders SIG is a gathering for peer-to-peer sharing of best practices among Training managers / directors or others directly responsible for design/delivery of talent development programs within their organizations.