COMPETENCY STANDARDS - A MEASURE OF THE QUALITY OF A WORKFORCE

John C Trinder

School of Surveying and SIS, The University of New South Wales, UNSW SYDNEY NSW 2052, Australia

Commission VI, WG VI/5

KEY WORDS: Capacity Building, Joint Education, Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing, Geoinformation Management, Skills
Formation

ABSTRACT:

Competency Standards are increasingly being used by professions and governments to define the qualifications required for
professionals to practise in a discipline. They define a range of levels of competency and the capabilities that are assumed to be
achieved at these levels. Competency is the ability to apply knowledge and skills to produce a required outcome. It is the ability to
perform activities within an occupation; to function as expected for employment; and the ability to do a job under a variety of
conditions, including the ability to cope with contingencies. The paper will refer to cases in several countries in the fields of
surveying/geomatics and spatial information systems experts, to demonstrate the rationale for developing competency standards and
the procedures for their development.

1. INTRODUCTION 2. EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Competency Standards are used by professions and It is well established that universities are responsible for
governments to define the qualifications required for education, which is the development of knowledge. Education
professionals to practise in a profession or discipline. They are has long term aims, by providing essential background
usually listed at different levels according to the capabilities of knowledge in such topics as the sciences, engineering,
the individual and are defined independently of the education fundamentals of adjustments of observations, and computing,
standards, the assumption being that a combination of education and in some cases, the humanities. Universities also provide
and experience will enable professional to progress through the some level of skills training, but in most cases, these skills will
various levels of competency. Competency standards provide become out-of-date within a relatively short time period.
recognition that a person has demonstrated professional Examples of such skills are instrument use and software
excellence and continues to maintain the high standards of operations which must be taught to students to enable them to
his/her profession. They assist employers to satisfy themselves function in their profession when their education has been
that a candidate for employment is suitably qualified. As well completed, but due to the development of technologies, will
as gaining the qualification, professionals are usually required become obsolete in a short time. Vocational training
to continue to maintain or improve their level of competency by institutions will devote more time to skills training or skills
undertaking approved continuing profession development. formation and less time on the provision of background
knowledge. Skills development has shorter term aims than
Competency is the ability to apply knowledge and skills to education. The proof of the adequacy and effectiveness of
produce a required outcome. It is the ability to perform education and training systems are the competency of the
activities within an occupation; to function as expected for graduates when they enter the profession. However, since
employment; and the ability to do a job under a variety of education has long term aims, the proof of the efficiency of
conditions, including the ability to cope with contingencies. education will be whether the graduate can adapt to new
Competency cannot be directly observed and hence it has to be technologies over several decades while he/she is employed in
inferred from indirect evidence and hence is performance based. the workforce.
Competency is defined by a set of standards, which define the
level of attainment at various levels. The benefits of
competency standards are that they can test the effectiveness of 3. COMPETENCY
training, improve recruitment, identify training gaps, lead to
improved efficiency, productivity, worker safely and employee Competency is expected to develop from the three components
retention. over an employee’s lifetime, comprising education, training and
experience. Certifying a certain level of competency is separate
The paper will give the rationale and processes for development from what is described variously in different countries as legal
of competency standards and give some examples of these registration or licensure, which is legally enforceable
standards, the routes to competency in several English speaking registration of an individual by a regional jurisdiction, aimed at
countries for the fields of surveying/geomatics, photogrammetry protecting the community against incompetent or fraudulent
and remote sensing, and spatial information systems experts. operations by individuals without adequate qualifications.
There are many examples of legal registration of licensure
throughout the world. Certification of competency is
undertaken by an individual for official recognition by one's
colleagues and peers that he/she has demonstrated professional
integrity and competence in their field. Employees will bring to

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their employment, their basic education and skills, but their 5. EXAMPLES OF COMPETENCY STANDARDS
‘competency’ will be based on their education and the
experiences that they gain from working within the profession. Competency standards have been established in a number of
Competency is developed from on-the-job training, based on an English speaking countries, including United Kingdom, USA,
exposure to a range of activities that test the employees’ ability Canada and Australia. The requirements of these standards vary
to cope with a variety of different situations. Such experience according to the conditions set by the relevant organization.
improves an employee’s ability to handle new problems and Competency may be compulsory or voluntary, while the
situations. As employees gain experiences, their ability to cope continuation of an individual’s recognition of competency may
with unusual circumstances improves and therefore they reach a require regular attendance at conferences, courses or training
higher level of competency. Developing competency is typically programs, referred to as continuing professional development
based on a prescribed level of training. (CPD).

Competency based training is designed to help people achieve 5.1 United Kingdom
the required outcomes, whatever the particular task the
individual is requested to undertake. Such training is intended The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors in UK has
to avoid theoretical training and concentrate on skills formation, extensive documentation on competency for chartered and
so that once the training is completed the graduates have the technician levels of competency, covering many pathways
necessary skills to do the work required of them. The training within the general area of geomatics, including remote sensing
must therefore be based on a set of competency standards and photogrammetry, mapping and spatial data capture and
presentation. Competencies are defined at three levels of
attainment:
4. COMPETENCY STANDARDS Level 1 – knowledge and understanding
Level 2 – application of knowledge and understanding
The measurement of competency comprises individual units of Level 3 – reasoned advice and depth of technical knowledge.
competency, which cover a broad area of work that can logically
stand-alone. They are detailed documents that specify the As well, there are three categories of competencies:
functions performed by an enterprise or industry at certain levels Mandatory competencies – the personal, interpersonal,
or ‘units’, and are written in a special format that can be used to professional practice and business competencies common to all
assess/determine outcomes pathways and compulsory for all candidates.

4.1 A Unit of Competency Core competencies – the primary competencies of the chosen
pathway of the professional.
A unit of competency can be described by its function or
purpose. The steps that have to be performed to achieve an Optional competencies – a set of competencies selected by the
outcome and the means of demonstrating that it has been candidate from a list defined for the particular pathway.
performed satisfactorily should be described, as well as the
conditions under which the function will be performed. The The documents also describe the knowledge and skills required
description will also include knowledge and skills that a person of each level. For example, in remote sensing and
needs to perform the task and the means of assessing whether a photogrammetry, the following are listed
person can perform the task.
Level 1 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the
4.2 Benefits of Competency Standards principles of remote sensing and photogrammetry (both aerial
and terrestrial).
Competency standards can test the effectiveness of training,
improve recruitment, identify training gaps which should lead to Level 2 Apply the professional’s knowledge and be aware of
improved efficiency, productivity, worker safety and employee scales, camera and satellite principles and different data capture
retention. As well, they can be used to develop enterprise techniques. Understand and undertake procedures for routine
practices and procedures, for performance management, and data capture, and analyse and/or adjust/transform data. Use
quality management system for licensing purposes. Training standard industry software.
packages may replace formal education and training systems in
certain circumstances. Level 3 Provide evidence of fit-for-purpose advice on client
4.3 Levels or Stages of Competency requirements. Identify and assess client specifications. Use
advanced industry software and advise on data transfer and/or
A number of professional organizations prescribe competency format.
in terms of several levels or stages. The advantages of having
such levels is that a professional can progress from the initial Each of these levels is described in further detail. All
level of achievement soon after graduation to senior positions in candidates, on all routes and all pathways, must achieve the
employment, where he/she would undertake management and defined level of the mandatory competencies. These
supervisory roles and have had experience in a broad range of competencies are a mix of the professional practice,
activities in his/her professional life. Paths from one level to the interpersonal, business and management skills that are
next should also be developed. These will normally involve the considered common to, and necessary for all chartered and
types of documented supervised experience, the range of technical surveyors. The processes are defined in the
continuing professional development, and agreement to abide documentation. Candidates are informed that they must reach
by the code of ethics. the required level in a logical progression and in successive
stages.

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Each professional is expected to plan and achieve professional education. To remain certified, a professional must undertake
development, comprising a minimum of 48 hours’ professional regular continuing professional development, comprising an
development for each 12 months’ structured training. average of 20 points per annum over a 4 year period. This is
equivalent to an average of approximately 6-7 days in
5.2 USA professional development activities each year.

The American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote

Sensing (ASPRS) provides certification for three areas, namely 6. CONCLUSIONS
Certified Photogrammetrist (ASPRS), Certified Mapping
Scientist, Remote Sensing (ASPRS) and Certified Mapping In many English speaking countries, professionals in the spatial
Scientist, GIS/LIS (ASPRS). The certification is based on the information industry are encouraged to gain certification to
number of year’s experience, credit for some of which can be demonstrate their competency in their chosen profession. While
obtained from formal university courses. As well, the ASPRS this process is not compulsory in most organisations, the
requires recertification every 5 years, based on evidence of organisations believe that it increasingly important for their
activities that demonstrate the individual’s continued members to gain certification and to advance through the levels
involvement in the industry and has attended conferences, of competencies. The beneficiaries of competency standards
courses etc to maintain his/her level of competence. are: an employee, who can demonstrate his/her abilities to a
prospective employer; the employer who can appoint staff of
5.3 Canada documented qualifications; and the community at large, since
high standards are being set for the overall performance of a
The Canadian Remote Sensing Society has developed a professional.
program for certification of Remote Sensing Scientists and
Mapping Scientists in photogrammetry or GIS. This Continuing professional development is seen as an essential
certification is similar to the process described previously for aspect of ensuring that professionals maintain the currency of
ASPRS, including recertification. their knowledge and skills to undertake tasks in an increasingly
complex society. It is certainly advisable for all young
5.4 Australia professionals to undertake certification and to maintain their
competency through continuing professional development
Competency standards are defined for a large number of throughout their careers.
occupations throughout Australia and can be searched through
the National Training Information Service (NTIS). As well,
many professions in Australia have developed procedures for BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES
assessing competence, such as The Institution of Engineers
Australia (IEAust), the Institution of Surveyors (ISA) and the ASPRS Certification, www.ASPRS.org accessed 29 February
Spatial Sciences Institute. 2008.

Institution of Engineers Australia The IEAust has a two stage ‘Your pathway to qualifying in Geomatics’, www.RICS.org
system of competency, Stage 1 being the graduate level and for access 29 February 2008.
stage 2, the competency embodies both practice competencies
relevant to a field of engineering and an occupational category. ‘Assessment of Professional Competence RICS Education and
Persons who are Stage 2 competent are ‘practice-experienced’ Training’, www.RICS.org, accessed 6 February 2008.
and are capable of working autonomously under general
direction in normal operating environments. Articulation from Assessment of Professional Competence/Assessment of
stage 1 to stage 2 requires furtherance of both knowledge and Technical Competence, www.RICS.org, accessed 18 March
experience. The decisions are based on individual interviews by 2008.
qualified engineers who have had a wealth of experience in the
field of the applicant. Recently this process has undergone a ‘Australian Engineering Competency Standards’ Institution of
quality assurance process to ensure that it satisfies the required Engineers Australia, www.ieaust.org, accessed 29 February
standards. 2008.

Spatial Sciences Institute Australia The recent formation of ‘Accreditation and Competencies’,www.isaust.org.au, accessed
the Spatial Sciences Institute (SSI) covering the spatial sciences 6 March 2008.
in Australia including remote sensing and photogrammetry, has
also led to the establishment of its certification process. There The National Training Information Service, www.ntis.gov.au,
is a requirement for 10 years equivalent work experience, credit accessed 6 March 2008.
for a large part of which can be reduced by prior formal

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