Help and FAQs
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| Definitions |
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| 1. |
What is the Competency Model Clearinghouse? |
| 2. |
What is a competency? |
| 3. |
What is a competency model? |
| 4. |
What is the difference between a competency and a skill standard? |
| 5. |
What are the different types of competency model resources available
in the Competency Model Clearinghouse? |
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| Uses and Benefits |
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| 6. |
How are competency models used? |
| 7. |
Who benefits from competency models? |
| 8. |
How do the business and industry partners use competency models? |
| 9. |
How do Workforce Investment Boards use competency models? |
| 10. |
How do One-Stop Career Centers use competency models? |
| 11. |
How do education and training providers use competency models? |
| 12. |
How would an industry competency framework be used? |
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| Understanding the Components or
the Building Blocks Model |
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| 13. |
How was the Building Blocks Model developed? |
| 14. |
Why is the building blocks model portrayed as a pyramid? |
| 15. |
What is the difference between building blocks and competencies? |
| 16. |
Why doesn't the model specify 'levels' or 'degrees' of competencies? |
| 17. |
What are Tiers? |
| 18. |
Why does the competency pyramid appear to be hovering above Tier 1? |
| 19. |
What do the different colors on the model mean? |
| 20. |
Where can I find information about Occupational competencies? |
| 21. |
What is considered a cross-cutting industry technical competency? |
| 22. |
How can the Building Blocks be used to develop to career paths? |
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| Classification System and
Design |
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| 23. |
How are the industry competency model frameworks developed? |
| 24. |
For which industries will models be developed? |
| 25. |
Why do the competency model frameworks focus on industry rather than
occupational competencies? |
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| Comparison to Other Tools |
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| 26. |
Why did DOL/ETA create competency models rather than skill
standards? |
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| Data Sources and Selection
Criteria |
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| 27. |
What are the criteria for a model to be included in the database? |
| 28. |
Why can't I find a model for a certain occupation or industry? |
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| Procedural Questions |
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| 29. |
How can I build a competency model?
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| 30. |
How do I customize competency descriptions when building a model? |
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| Our Related Tools |
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| 31. |
How do the competency models relate to the O*NET? |
| 32. |
Where can I find information on obtaining certain competencies
through apprenticeships? |
| 33. |
How do occupational and skill certifications connect back to the
model? |
| 34. |
How do assessment instruments fit into the picture? |
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| Additional Information and User
Support |
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| 35. |
Can I contact organizations listed in the Competency Model
Clearinghouse?
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| 1. |
What is the Competency Model Clearinghouse?
The Competency Clearinghouse is a new Web concept designed to inform the public
workforce investment system about the value of competency models, their
development and use. The clear articulation of the knowledge, skills and
abilities (competency models) needed by industry to maintain a competitive edge
in a global economy form the building blocks for talent development.
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| 2. |
What is a competency?
A competency is the capability to apply or use a set of related
knowledge, skills, and abilities required to successfully perform "critical
work functions" or tasks in a defined work setting.
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| 3. |
What is a competency model?
A competency model contains descriptions of multiple competencies
that are needed to perform successfully in a defined setting. Typically,
competency models describe competencies that are common across an occupational
group or industry, an organization, or workplace. Competency models can take a
variety of forms. Typically, they include: competency names and detailed
definitions, descriptions of activities or behavior associated with each
competency, and frequently, a diagram of the model to help users quickly grasp
the key features of the competencies required.
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| 4. |
What is the difference between a competency and a skill standard?
A competency is the capacity to draw upon and apply a set of related knowledge,
skills, and abilities to successfully perform a work role, function, or task.
Competencies often serve as the basis for skill standards that specify the
level of knowledge, skills, and abilities required for success in the
workplace. Skill standards in turn form the basis for measurement criteria to
assess competency attainment. A competency model differs from a
set of skill standards in that skill standards define levels of
skills (or competencies) required in a given job or role, while
competency models typically do not.
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| 5. |
What are the different types of competency model resources available in
the Competency Model Clearinghouse?
Competency models generally are developed as a platform for other products. For
that reason, there are few publicly available resources labeled ‘competency
model’. The purpose of the resources database is to assist users to identify
the competencies required by an industry or occupation. The database is not
exhaustive, but contains numerous examples of the resources that were tapped to
identify competencies in the development of the high growth industries models.
These resources include: apprenticeship work process schedules, career lattices
or ladders, skill certifications, curricula and education programs, and skill
standards. These resources should contain descriptive information about the
knowledge, skills, and abilities required for success in the field.
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| 6. |
How are competency models used?
Competency models are the foundation for important human resource functions
such as: recruitment and hiring, training and development, and performance
management. Models articulate the business and industry requirements that are
essential components for the development of curriculum, skill assessment
instruments, and certifications. Competency models also facilitate the
development of career pathways and career lattices providing the framework for
career advancement. Competency models generally are developed as a platform for
these other resources.
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| 7. |
Who benefits from competency models?
Competency models benefit all partners and stakeholders in the workforce
investment system including Workforce Investment Boards, One-Stop Career
Centers, business and industry, economic developers, educators and training
providers, professional organizations, and students and their parents.
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| 8. |
How do the business and industry partners use competency models?
Competency Models Enable Business and Industry to maintain a competitive edge
by:
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Clearly articulating their workforce needs
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Defining requirements for employee success on a job and at different levels of
career
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Improving hiring and retention practices
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Focusing on the knowledge, skills and abilities that have the most impact on
effectiveness and productivity
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Increasing return on investment for training and development efforts
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Informing succession planning practices
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| 9. |
How do Workforce Investment Boards use competency models?
Competency Models Enable Workforce Investment Boards to become more
demand-driven by:
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Managing changing industry skill requirements within regions
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Assessing the local workforce in relation to the competency requirements
articulated by business and industry
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Identifying specific skill gaps that can be resolved through training and
development activities, such as coaching, job shadowing, etc
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Ensuring that training offerings, curricula, and certifications meet business
and industry needs
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Identifying available workers with the employers’ required skill sets
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| 10. |
How do One-Stop Career Centers use competency models?
Competency Models Enable One-Stop Career Centers to:
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Design programs and provide services to meet the needs of employers in the
region served
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Compare the skill base of workers and job seekers to required competencies to
identify gaps
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Provide credible guidance and counseling to workers about the kinds of jobs or
training they should consider
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Serve the needs of workers transitioning from declining industries by
identifying transferable skills and skill gaps
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| 11. |
How do education and training providers use competency models?
Competency Models Enable Educators and Training Providers to:
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Work with business and industry to identify skill requirements to ensure that
the curriculum and/or technical training programs are responsive to these
requirements
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Design and develop course and program curriculum based on skills required by
business and industry
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Determine which competencies are in highest demand and help students plan their
courses accordingly
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Promote articulation between secondary and postsecondary education offerings
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| 12. |
How would an industry competency framework be used?
An industry model is intended to contain the competencies needed for
entry-level workers—and also to ensure that workers have the foundation
competencies needed for additional education or training so that they can
advance up the career ladder or lattice. An industry model can also be used to
identify the training needed to upgrade incumbent workers skills to adapt to
new technology and new work processes.
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| 13. |
How was the Building Blocks Model developed?
To support the development of industry competency models, ETA worked with
industrial/organizational psychology experts to develop a generic model of
competencies essential to work performance. The model, referred to as the
Building Blocks for Competency Models, or the Competency Model Content
Framework, provides a structure or framework for developing the personal
effectiveness, academic, and workplace competencies required by an industry or
an occupation.
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| 14. |
Why is the building blocks model portrayed as a pyramid?
To help users quickly grasp the key features of the competencies required, the
Building Blocks model is portrayed in a graphic format. The pyramidal shape
conveys the increasing level of specificity and specialization of the content
on the upper tiers of the graphic. Tiers 1 through 3, called Foundation
Competencies, form the foundation needed to be ready to enter the workplace.
Tiers 4 and 5, called Industry Competencies, show competencies that are
specific to the industry or industry sector. The top tiers
represent specialization or the knowledge and technical competencies within
specific occupations within an industry.
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| 15. |
What is the difference between building blocks and competencies?
The tiers on the model are divided into blocks. The blocks represent competency
areas, that is, the skills, knowledge, abilities and other factors essential to
successful performance. A table of the competency definitions or key behaviors
follows the graphic and provides additional detail or explanations of the
competencies.
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| 16. |
Why doesn't the model specify 'levels' or 'degrees' of competencies?
The competency model framework identifies competencies, or the knowledge,
skills and abilities needed for success. When curricula or standards are
developed around the competencies identified for an industry or occupation, the
level or degree of competence must be considered by the developer. For example,
plane geometry is an example of a competency needed for carpenters, drafters,
and architects, but the level of competence varies with occupation. The
industry competency models do not include performance indicators or measurement
criteria for each competency content area. Performance indicators of competence
must be developed by industry.
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| 17. |
What are Tiers?
Each tier in the model includes a set of related competencies, for example
Personal Effectiveness, Academic, Workplace, Industry, or Occupational
competencies. The tiers are arranged in a pyramid. At the base of the model,
the competencies apply to a large number of occupations and industries. As a
user moves up the model, the competencies become industry and occupation
specific. The arrangement of the tiers in a pyramidal shape represents the
increasing level of specificity and specialization of the content on the upper
tiers of the graphic.
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| 18. |
Why does the competency pyramid appear to be hovering above Tier 1?
The Personal Effectiveness Competencies shown on Tier 1 hover below the pyramid
because these competencies are essential for all life roles. Often referred to
as "soft skills," the Personal Effectiveness competencies are generally learned
in the home or community and reinforced and honed at school and in the
workplace. They represent personal attributes that may present some challenges
to teach or assess, or may more often be developed through coaching and similar
techniques.
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| 19. |
What do the different colors on the model mean?
For easy reference similar competencies have been grouped on tiers. The colors
provide a visual point of reference for the groups. Competencies on Tiers 1-3,
referred to as Foundation competencies, are shown in shades of red. The
technical competencies that are cross-cutting to an industry or industry sector
on tiers 4 and 5, called Industry competencies, are shown in shades of yellow.
The knowledge and technical competencies that are specific to an occupation on
Tiers 6-8, called Occupational competencies, are shown in shades of blue.
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| 20. |
Where can I find information about Occupational competencies?
The lists of knowledge, skills and abilities found in
O*NET OnLine Occupational Profiles is a good source of information for
identifying the competencies required for an occupation.
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| 21. |
What is considered a cross-cutting industry technical competency?
A competency that is significant in several industry sub-sectors is considered
to be cross-cutting. Although some competencies may well be common to each and
every sub-sector, the definitions and behaviors will vary for the industry
sub-sectors.
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| 22. |
How can the Building Blocks be used to develop to career paths?
A career path may take many forms: career and technical education in a
traditional or alternative high school, Job Corps training, apprenticeship
training, military training and experience are some of the more common paths.
The competencies articulated in the industry models provide the core foundation
and technical competencies that must be addressed regardless of the source of
the education or training. The model is not just for entry-level workers, but
should be used in a continuum of training so that workers have the foundation
competencies to advance in their careers.
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| 23. |
How are the industry competency model frameworks developed?
ETA is working with industry leaders to develop a model of the foundation and
cross-industry sector technical competencies required for success in each of
the high-growth industries. This effort builds on existing national and state
skill standards, technical curricula, and recognized certifications in the
respective industry. After identifying and analyzing these key resources, a
draft model is developed using the Building Blocks Model as a framework. ETA
convenes meetings of industry experts to review and comment on the model
providing feedback and input to ensure that the competencies are those critical
to the industry. After acceptance and endorsement by industry leaders, this
framework allows for consistency across industries, customization within
sectors, and easy updating in order to accommodate changing technology and
business practices.
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| 24. |
For which industries will models be developed?
Working with industry leaders, ETA will support the development of an industry
model for each of the high growth industries identified through the President’s
High Growth Job Training initiative. This initiative represents a major step in
a series of actions that ETA has taken to facilitate partnerships among
business, education and the workforce investment system to develop solutions to
the workforce challenges facing high growth industries. The initiative targets
education and skills development resources toward helping workers gain the
skills they need to build successful careers in growing industries. Please
visit www.doleta.gov/BRG/JobTrainInitiative
for additional information.
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| 25. |
Why do the competency model frameworks focus on industry rather than
occupational competencies?
In a rapidly changing economy that relies on innovation to maintain its edge,
it is important that workers have a core of foundation and technical skills
that are valued and applicable across occupations. By identifying the
competencies that cross industries and industry sectors it become possible to
create career paths for entry level workers and to identify career ladders or
lattices to insure upward mobility. Furthermore, in the 21st century economy, a
flexible workforce is needed - one where workers can shift work roles within
the workplace as demand dictates - or who can work well in a variety of
cross-functional teams.
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| 26. |
Why did DOL/ETA create competency models rather than skill standards?
As the Federal partner in the Workforce Investment System, ETA's role is not to
set or enforce workplace standards. Standard-setting is more appropriately a
function of business and industry; thereby insuring that a standard can be
tailored to an industry, region or individual employer’s need. ETA’s role is
that of information broker - providing information, tools and resources about
competency models and how they serve as a resource for talent development in a
demand-driven system.
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| 27. |
What are the criteria for a model to be included in the database?
Competency model resources are included to provide information on competencies
required for industry or occupations. The resources might be called or
described as: competency models, skill standards, competency-based curriculum,
apprenticeship requirements or some other format. The resources were selected
because they contain information about the knowledge, skills, tasks, and/or
abilities that a worker must possess to perform satisfactory work in the
occupation or industry described by the model. The developers of the Competency
Model Clearinghouse do not endorse, take no responsibility for, and exercise no
control over the developing organization or its views or site contents, nor do
they vouch for the accuracy of the information contained on the destination
server.
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| 28. |
Why can't I find a model for a certain occupation or industry?
The Competency Model Clearinghouse is a work in progress. Resource information
is added and updated on a continual basis. Not all industries and occupations
have competency models that are available to the general public. One of the
goals of the effort to identify usable models is to identify those occupations
or industries where no model exists.
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| 29. |
How can I build a competency model?
The Competency Model Clearinghouse contains a template tool for building a
competency model. At this time the tool can be used to identify the foundation
competencies found on Tiers 1-3 of the Building Blocks Competency Model. A
future enhancement to the tool will provide guidance for building the
competencies that are specific to industry.
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| 30. |
How do I customize competency descriptions when building a model?
To customize competency descriptions you must first create the model with the
Competency Model template tool and then save the model to a MS Word document.
The text descriptions for any competency can be customized to ensure that the
language 'rings true' for the industry or occupation in question.
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| 31. |
How do the competency models relate to the O*NET?
The Occupational Information Network (O*NET) links occupations to the
knowledge, skills, and abilities and other required for the occupation. The
O*NET Occupational Competency Profiles found in the O*NET Summary Reports
equate to occupational competency models.
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| 32. |
Where can I find information on obtaining certain competencies through
apprenticeships?
The U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Office of
Apprenticeship provides technical consultation services on the development of
apprenticeship standards. Employers or groups of employers and labor
organizations design, organize, manage, and finance registered apprenticeship
programs under a set of apprenticeship standards, which include an on-the-job
training outline, related classroom instruction curriculum and the
apprenticeship operating procedures. Occupational competencies learned through
apprenticeship programs are described in the Work Process Schedules included in
the standards. Search the Competency Model Resources Database (Search by Model
type 'Apprenticeship') to view competencies acquired through apprenticeship
training or access them through the Office of Apprenticeship Web site at
http://www.doleta.gov/atels_bat and click on What's New. You will find
them under FYO6 Bulletins and Circulars for Occupations, usually as a
hot-linked attachment which you can click on to access the Work Process
Schedule.
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| 33. |
How do occupational and skill certifications connect back to the
model?
Certifications are a form of credential that indicates the holder of the
certification possesses certain competencies or skills. The competencies
identified by certifications are generally developed by industry associations
or private firms that market a product or process. Competency models in the
clearinghouse database are linked to existing certifications based on the
certification's requirements.
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| 34. |
How do assessment instruments fit into the picture?
Assessment instruments have many uses: personality tests, interest inventories,
achievement tests, and others. Assessments also take many forms: paper-pencil
tests, oral exams, demonstrations of skill or proficiency, and/or evaluations
by peer groups or supervisors. Assessment instruments can measure the
attainment of knowledge, skills, or abilities contained in the foundation and
technical competencies. Frequently, the attainment of a certification requires
successful performance on an assessment test.
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| 35. |
Can I contact organizations listed in the Competency Model
Clearinghouse?
All information in the clearinghouse has been obtained from publicly available
Web sites. There is no evaluation or endorsement of the information or products
contained on these sites. Contact information for developers will usually be
available from the developer Web site links provided for each summary
description in the competency resource database.
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