CPA Bulletin

34 CPA Bulletin > August 2022 www.cpa.uk.net Introduction In the last CPA Bulletin published in May 2022, I wrote an article which looked at how plant-based card schemes originated, who they are and where they sit within the sector. This second article looks at what competence is and how card schemes support employers’ obligations to maintain a competent workforce. This article is the result of a number of topics raised by the membership during the CPA/Pye Tait review on training provision, from which members said that they sought further clarity on how competence is both obtained and ascertained. What is ‘Competence’? The definition of competence can be wider-ranging, so this article will focus on ‘occupational’ competence - basically performance in the workplace - for the main plant-based occupations such as operators, installers, mechanics and hire desk operatives. What occupational competence is has been spelt out through a number of reports, including an HSE and CITB-commissioned report produced by Pye Tait back in 2014 titled ‘Competence in Construction’. The main thrust of this report was that it identified the various elements of what constitutes occupational competence, based on safety in the workplace and how it is attained and maintained. The report identified that the core interrelated elements of individual occupational competence were having: • Appropriate and sufficient training leading to occupational-derived functional skills; • Deep and broad knowledge beyond just the task; • Relevant and sufficient workplace application of skills through experience; • Appropriate human factors such as attitudes, behaviours and attributes, relating to self, situational and risk-awareness. Depending on the specific job role, the weighting of each may vary but broadly will comprise of all of those elements. Other cited elements included the need for continuous improvement and on maintaining life-long learning. The key factor though of occupational competence is the ability to perform occupationally relevant tasks to an agreed standard on a regular, consistent basis whilst coping with routine and non-routine situations. The Learning Journey The learning journey can be described as the various stages of learning that lead to competence. The Plant Sector Representative Organisation (PSRO), led by CPA, has summarised, in their Plant Occupations Competence Framework publication, the learning journey in four broad stages: • The first being the identification of the both the specific role or required skills and knowledge, coupled with the selection of appropriate individuals; • The second being the required educational training in order to attain the required skills and knowledge; TRAINING TRAINING: 1 Plant-based Card Schemes and Competence - Part 2