Competency Assessors Training Course

 Presentations & discussions(part I and II)

 Demonstrations
 Workshops
 Practice
 Assessments & Feedbacking
 Group Dynamics
Definition of Important Terms
 Assessment – is a process of collecting
evidence and making professional judgment
on whether a candidate possesses the
competence/s of an occupational qualification
according to the Occupational Standard.
 Assessor – An individual who meets the
required qualification and authorized by
Agency of Competence to conduct
Assessment.
 Assessment Tool is an instrument used by the
assessor in the process of collecting evidence
and helps him to make the correct judgment
on the candidates possession (owning) of
competence.
 Assessment Center is an establishment,
whether a TVET Institution or an industry
facility, where Assessment is managed and
implemented.
 Accreditation is the process of recognizing
and/ or empowering a person or an
organization to perform certain roles and
responsibilities on behalf of the Federal TVET
Agency and/ or the Agency of Competence.
 Competence is the possession and application
of knowledge , skills and proper attitude to
the standard of performance set by industry.
 Competence Standard is a standard set by
industry which indicate the performance
criterion on how a specific competence shall
be done under a range of variables.
 Occupational Standard is a set or group of
competences required by industry for a
person to possess in order to be able to
perform the expected qualification level of
an occupation.
 National TVET Qualification Framework
(NTQF) defines rules of assigning levels to an
occupation, and the relationship between
qualifications.
General background & principles of assessment
 The competence requirements in the different
qualification levels of the country’s occupational
classifications shall be the basis for the assessment
and certification in all industry sectors
 The Occupational Standards set by Industry shall
be the guide for the development and
implementation of Assessments.
 The partnership of the leading agencies of
government and private industries is one
important factor that will assure the relevance of
the Occupational Assessment & Certification
system to the manpower requirements of industry
 The same Assessment Tool shall be used for
all candidates, whether Industry Workers,
Trainers from TVET Institutions or Graduates
of TVET programs.
 The system provides recognition for both
prior learning and current competence. Thus,
any person who believes that he/ she is
competent in a specific level of qualification
resulting from work experience or relevant
training can undergo competence
assessment.
 The system allows assessment by
qualification level or even by unit or units of
competence of a specific qualification level.
 Industry participation & Ownership of the
Assessment system, either as provider of
Assessors, Assessment Center/ Venue and
Developers of Assessment Tools shall be
pursued by the government, as the bottom
line for assessment is qualified workforce in
industry.
Conduct of Assessment & Assessment Tools
 In the new system, Assessment is done by Qualification
level. It may also be given by Unit or units of
Competence on special cases.
 Assessment shall only be conducted in an accredited
Assessment Center by an accredited Assessor.
 Only Assessment tools provided by the FTA for the
specific qualification shall be used for assessment.
 Other provisions on the conduct of assessments as
indicated in the Assessor’s Manual shall be strictly
observed.
 Assessment tools developed by AoCs or the
FTA must be participated and validated by
Industry practitioners.
 Only Assessment tools provided by the FTA
shall be used.
 Modification of the Assessment tool may be
done in the regions without compromising
quality, and with prior consultation with the
FTA.
 ATs are developed in the language at which
the OS is developed.
Accreditation of an Assessor
 Must be a practitioner of the occupation in
industry.
 Must have achieved certification at least of the
Occupational qualification level that he is to
assess, or in the case of Assessment by
competence, the Assessor MUST possess also the
Certificate of Competence.
 Must undertake the Assessors Training Course
conducted by the AoC or the FTA.
 Must exhibit competence during the Assessor’s
Assessment training
 An Assessor shall only administer assessment
in the occupation and qualification being
accredited.
 Accreditation shall be valid only for three (3)
years. It may be renewed or terminated
based on his performance and his actual
practice of the occupation.
 The Assessor shall at all times observe the
provisions of the Directive on the
proper conduct of Assessment
 Failure to sustain compliance with accreditation
requirements ( Assessor no longer practice his
occupation and or his Certification has expired.)
 Violation of any defined procedure in the
conduct of assessment
 Connivance with a candidate regarding the
fulfillment of assessment requirements
 Illegal exaction of fees other than those
approved by the government.
 1. Familiarity with the units of
competence of qualification to assess.
 2. Familiarity with the development & use
of the assessment guides
 3. Perform the assessment process
properly
 4. Interpersonal skills
 Familiar with the work procedures of the
competence to be assessed
1. Specify the workflow in performing this
competence;
2. Specify the underpinning knowledge &
skills;
3. Specify the required materials, tools and
equipment;
4. Specify the safety requirements
associated with this competence;
 Familiar with the quality of the product or
outcome in performing this competence
1. Specify the standard quality of the
product in terms of measurements, finish
& form, functionality, etc. according to
standards;
2. Abe to use tools ( hardware or software)
required to evaluate the quality of the
product.
 Establish the context of assessment
 Plan and prepare the evidence gathering
process
 Familiar with the assessment instruments
developed
 Familiar with the use of instruments needed
to assess the performance of the candidate
 Prepare the candidate
 Collect evidence and make the assessment
decision
 Provide feedback on the assessment process
 Record and report results
 Review of the assessment process
 Possession of the desirable values required
for an assessor
1. Self-worth
2. Technical competence
3. Human relations
4. Objectivity
5. Persistence
6. Cost- consciousness
7. Time-consciousness
 Assessors Expertise
1. Be familiar with the unit standards that
they will be assessing
2. Be familiar with the use of assessment
guides
3. Plan the assessment process
4. Follow the assessment process
5. Record and report on assessment results
6. Participate in moderation process
7. Review the assessment and make
appropriate changes
END
 1. Establish the assessment context and purpose of the assessment

2. Familiarize with the units of competence to

be assessed, particularly
 • Assessors’ guide
 • Assessment methods
 • Time duration
 • Evidence to be collected
 • Performance Criteria
 •Assessment arrangements

 
 3. Ensure together with CoC/AoC representative,
 compliance of the Assessment Center with :
- Relevant OHS requirements
 - Proper lighting & ventilation
 - Properly marked risk areas

 
 - Assessment Project requirements:
• Sufficient and functional equipment and tools
• Available supplies and materials according to specifications
• Continues availability of Power as required by the project/s.
 

4. Notify candidates through the Assessment Center / CoC /AoC of any resources/materials that the candidates have to
bring during the assessment.

 
1. Assist AoC personnel
 • Check the candidate’s registered number
 • Fill-up attendance sheet
 • Accomplish Competency Assessment Agreement

2. Provide overview of the units of competence to be assessed

 
3. Orient the candidates (Time allotment is 30 minutes)
• explain the context and purpose of the assessment and the
assessment process
• outline the assessment procedures to be undertaken
• seek feedback regarding the candidate’s understanding of the
occupational standard/units of competence being assessed,
evidence requirements and assessment process
• make all necessary announcement before the start of the
assessment
• specify the do’s and don’ts inside the assessment venue
4. Ensure proper provision of equipment, tools and
materials, according to the assessment guide.

5. Administer the assessment in accordance with the

outcome-based assessment methodology–
• Give specific instructions to the candidates clearly and provide
each candidate with a copy of the ‘Candidate Package /
Instructions Guide and Worksheets’
• Make certain that the candidate fully understands what
is expected and follows correctly the instructions in the
Candidates package, including the time limits allowed
to finish each assessment project.

• Stay at the assessment area during the entire duration of

the assessment activity and observe the candidate
perform the required tasks.
• Inhibit self from providing any assistance during the
assessment or indicate in anyway whether the candidate
is or not performing the activity correctly. Intervene
only for safety reasons.

• Record the details of the evidence collected in the

candidates performance (measurements, procedures, use
of tools & equipment, quality of finish ) according to the
Assessment Guide, and considering the four dimensions
of competency– task skills, task management skills,
contingency management skills and job/role environment
skills.
• Verify candidate’s underpinning knowledge & skills,
especially when observed to be performing improper
procedures and unsafe practices.
• Stop Assessment activity when procedures and safety
precautions are not known and properly executed.
1. Provide feedback on the outcome of the
assessment process. This includes providing the
candidate with:
• Clear and constructive feedback on the assessment
decision
• Feedback should indicate whether the candidate is:
COMPETENT or NOT YET COMPETENT
•  Information on ways of overcoming any identified gaps
in competency revealed by the assessment
2. Ensure that candidate’s booklet have no
missing pages.
3. Prepare the necessary assessment reports and
properly signed by concerned Party.
( Summary Results of Assessment and other
required assessment related documents).
4. Endorse assessment results/outcomes to
CoC/AoC supervisor together with all the
packages used in the assessment activity.
Ethiopian TVET Reform
MoE - ECBP
WHAT IS COMPETENCE?

Competence is the
possession and
application of
knowledge,
knowledge skills
and attitudes to
perform work
activities to the
standard expected
in the workplace
Hence, an individual is
considered to be competent
when he/she is able to apply
his/her skills, knowledge and
attitudes to successfully
complete work activities in a
range of situations and
environments, in accordance
with the standard
performance expected in the
workplace.
 To successful work performance comprise 4
dimensions Competence
Task Task Management Skills
Skills

COMPETENCE
COMPETENCE

Contingency Job / Role Environment

Management Skills Skills
Ethiopian TVET Reform
MoE - ECBP

Dimensions Of Competence
1. Task Skills
• The requirement to perform tasks

being competent means -

having the skills, knowledge and attitudes
to do the job
(e.g. preparing salad, preparing tax returns,
welding carbon steel plate or troubleshooting an
engine)

understanding why the job should be done

in a certain way
(e.g. preparing a salad to complement a
seafood dish, calculating taxable income to pay
the right amount of tax, troubleshooting an
engine to run a car)
Ethiopian TVET Reform
MoE - ECBP

DIMENSIONS OF COMPETENCE

2. Task management skills

• The requirement to manage a number of
different tasks
being competent means –

being able to do
different tasks
at the same time
(e.g.
preparing a salad while watching
(e.g. preparing tax return while maintaining financial records
another dish cook)
or
establishing relationship with clients while organizing business travel )
Ethiopian TVET Reform
MoE - ECBP

3.Contingency management skills

• The requirement to respond to
irregularities and breakdowns in
routine

being competent means –

dealing with everyday problems as they

arise (e.g. what to do when materials are not in
stock or managing an upset client)
Ethiopian TVET Reform
MoE - ECBP

4. Job/role environment *
• The requirement to deal with the
responsibilities & expectations of
work environment
Being competent means -

understanding workplace policies and

procedures
(e.g. reporting to the right person, filling
out paperwork )

working with others in the workplace

(e.g. cooperating and communicating
well with co-workers, supervisors, managers and
customers)
UNDERSTANDING
OUTCOME-BASED
ASSESSMENT
ASSESSMENT

Assessment . . . is the process of collecting evidence and

making judgments on whether competence has been
achieved.
As such the purpose of assessment is to confirm that an
individual can perform to the standards expected in the
workplace as expressed in the relevant Occupational
standard

Assessment involves the collection of evidence

Assessment involves the making of professional judgments
The benchmarks for assessment are Occupational standard
  UNDERSTANDING EVIDENCE

What is Evidence . . .

Evidence is information gathered which provides proof of

competency.
Evidence can take many forms and be gathered from a
number of sources.
As illustrated in the following diagram, evidence
may be either direct or indirect.

DIRECT
DIRECT FORMS OF EVIDENCE INDIRECT
INDIRECT
EVIDENCE EVIDENCE
EVIDENCE EVIDENCE
  UNDERSTANDING EVIDENCE

Direct Evidence

Direct Evidence is evidence that can be

observed or witnessed by the assessor

This may include . . .

Observations by the assessor of the candidate carrying
out work activities
Oral questioning of the candidate
Demonstration of specific skills needed to
complete the task
  UNDERSTANDING EVIDENCE

Indirect Evidence

Indirect Evidence is evidence of the

candidate’s work that can be reviewed or
examined by the assessor

This may include . . .

Assessment of technical qualities of finished product
Written test of underpinning knowledge
Review of previous work performed
Testimonials from employers
Reports from colleagues, clients and/or
supervisors
Work diary/journal
Evidence of training
Examples of reports or work documents
  UNDERSTANDING EVIDENCE

Contrary to what many assessors believe

there is no hierarchy of evidence. In other words,
‘direct’ evidence is not necessarily more valid or
reliable than ‘indirect’ evidence. Each form of
evidence is useful and relevant to the assessment
process
 Evidence Indirect or Direct
Work Record

Record of workplace training

Observation of work performance

Written test of current knowledge

Third party report

Previous qualification

Confirmation of relevant unpaid or volunteer experience

Example of a work product

 RULES OF EVIDENCE . . .

All evidence must be evaluated against the

rules of evidence. This means that the assessor
must ensure that the evidence is:

VALID

RECENT CURRENT

CONSISTENT SUFFICIENT

AUTHENTIC
 RULES OF EVIDENCE . . .

To
Tohelp
helpdetermine
determineififthe
theevidence
evidencemeets
meetsthese
these
criteria
criteriathe
theassessor
assessorshould
shouldask
askthe
thefollowing
following
questions:
questions:
 RULES OF EVIDENCE . . .
VALID

Is the evidence related to the unit of

competence that is being assessed?

Is the evidence relevant to the elements

and performance criteria in the standard?

Is the evidence consistent with the Range

of Variables and the Evidence Guide?
 RULES OF EVIDENCE . . .
CURRENT

Does the evidence reflect the candidate’s

current knowledge and/or skills in the
relevant aspect of work?

Does the evidence establish that the

candidate can meet the elements and
performance criteria specified in the current
version of the relevant standards?
 RULES OF EVIDENCE . . .
SUFFICIENT

Does the evidence:

Cover the full range of the elements and

performance criteria?
Illustrate that the candidate can meet the four
dimensions of competence –
 task skills
 task management skills
 contingency management skills and
 job/role environment skills?
RULES OF EVIDENCE . . .
AUTHENTIC

Is the evidence the candidate’s own work

or contribution?

RECENT

Is the evidence less than three years old?

 RULES OF EVIDENCE . . .

RECENT

OLD .....
AGE OF EVIDENCE

RECENT
.....
WEAK STRONG

RELATIONSHIP WITH THE UNIT OF COMPETENCE

 RULES OF EVIDENCE . . .

CONSISTENT

Does the evidence presented by the candidate

and/or collected by the assessor show that the
candidate consistently meets the standards
under workplace conditions?
 RULES OF EVIDENCE . . .
STRATEGIC COLLECTION
OF EVIDENCE

Efficient assessment processes involve a strategic

approach to the collection, consideration and judgment of
evidence

A strategic approach involves:

focusing on evidence that gives an immediate
indication of competence
using other evidence to address less critical
areas, fill gaps or confirm judgment
 RULES OF EVIDENCE . . .
BEING STRATEGIC . . .

OBSERVATION OF
WORK PERFORMANCE

INTERVIEW WITH EMPLOYER SKILL TEST TO GATHER

TO CHECK CONSISTENT EVIDENCE ON SPECIFIC
PERFORMANCE SKILLS OR APPLICATIONS

WORK SAMPLE TRAINING RECORD CLIENT REFERENCE

 Self-Assessment Guide
A checklist to be accomplished by the candidate upon registration from the
Accredited Assessment Center to check his/her readiness to undertake the
competency assessmentAT_1

Competency Assessment Agreement

An agreement to be signed by the candidate and assessor after the later explain all information needed by
the candidate in the conduct of assessmentAT_2

 
 Knowledge Test/Assessment
A test package that consists of two parts
Multiple choice with 20 or 21 items
Matching Type with 15 items
A candidate must earned a 50% score in the test to make his/her Satisfactory in KTAT_2

Answer Key
A tool used by the assessor in checking/comparing the answers of the candidate from
the test booklet or answer sheet against the correct answer identified by the
expert / AT developerAT_2

 
 Assessor’s Guide/Package
Consists of instruction to assessor, Evidence Guide, Demonstration/Observation Checklist or
Rating Sheet, Oral Questions with specific answers and list of equipment, tools, supplies and
materials needed in the conduct of assessmentAT_3

 
Observation/Demonstration Checklist
A checklist or Rating Sheet of the assessor in collecting evidences from the candidate while performing the
projects/tasks given to him/heart_4

 
 Oral Question Checklist
Is a valuable tool for collecting evidence of underpinning knowledge and its application across a wide range of
contexts. Oral questioning complements observations and demonstrations as it provides a means of probing the
candidate’s understanding of the work AT_5

Outcome-based Result Summary

A template/checklist used by the assessor in recording the result of the assessment in
knowledge test, practical test and oral question. It also includes general comments given to
the candidate and recommendation for re-assessment and for the issuance of certificateAT_6

 
 Candidate’s Guide/Package
A valuable tool provided to the candidate during assessment that will serve as a guide to perform the practical assessment. This
package includes the required drawings, specifications and the details in performing the projects/tasks and the lists of
equipment, tools and materials needed. AT_7

 
END