Competence in Construction Report 2014

Competence in
Construction
Report 2014
Competence in Construction
Aims and processes
• July 2013 – Government launches Construction 2025
Industrial Strategy
• A number of visions and joint commitments made inc. ‘a
clear, standard means of recognising competence’
• 2 actions from action plan include:
- identify one card scheme promoted through public
procurement
- update on Routes to Competence report (Pye Tait 2011)
• Research project funded by CITB (with HSE co-funding)
• Steering group formed to devise research brief and appoint
research organisation – Pye Tait subsequently appointed
Competence in Construction
Research Activities
• Pye Tait undertook series of consultation activities with
stakeholders/employers/employees which included:
- telephone surveys
- workshop
- online consultation
- direct interviews
• Questions asked related to:
- industry perception of competence
- current processes
- components of competence
- evidencing and measuring competence
- factors that maintaining competency
- value of cards/certification schemes
Competence in Construction
Research Activities
• Research undertaken on how other sectors of industry
define and recognise competence (6 sectors)
• Workshops held March/April 2014 – topics included:
- current models of competence
- CDM changes and HSE’s vision
- work by Strategic Forum Plant Safety Group
- conceptualising of competence
- role of health and safety in competence
- evidencing of competence
• Research findings collated and reported in document titled
‘Competence in Construction’ September 2014
Competence in Construction
HSE Vision 2014
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Competence is a long-term issue
Workforce becoming more qualified
Industry not relying solely on cards
Principal Contractors not insisting that occasional site visitors have a
card
Nationally recognised qualifications being recognised and maintained
Educational and training bodies build on trade skills with skills that
prevent accidents and ill-health;
Card schemes to support nationally-recognised qualifications
Competence in Construction
Competence in Construction
Key Factors in achieving/maintaining competence
Competence in Construction
Main ways of verifying competence
Competence in Construction
Behavioural attributes assessed
Competence in Construction
What cards should evidence
Competence in Construction
Research Findings
• Divided into 3 key areas:
- definition
- developing
- evidencing
• Findings included both individual and organisational
competence
• Definition of competency involves primarily SKATE/SEKA
- Skills, knowledge, attributes/attitudes, training, experience
Definition further incorporates:
- ergonomics, environmental, policies and communication
Competence in Construction
Components of Competence
Competence in Construction
Research Findings
• Factors for developing competence:
- selection
- training
- assessment
- complexity
- verification
• Evidencing competence includes:
- types and methods
- cards and certification schemes
- renewing and maintaining competence
Competence in Construction
Framework for Competence
• Report recommends a framework for competence
• Why a framework?
- hundreds of qualifications/formal courses
- thousands of short courses
- lack of industry-wide understanding on human factors
- supervisor training/development patchy
- lack of understanding of inappropriate/invalid
cards/certification
- lack of understanding on what cards represent and reliability of
information
- 40 card schemes/350 variations means excessive/duplication of
resources to check cards etc.
Competence in Construction
Framework for Competence
• Principles of the Framework
- what constitutes competence
- appreciation of human factors (situational, self and risk awareness)
- common standards for card/certification schemes
• Framework Key Elements
- Components
- Developing
- Measuring
- Evidencing
Competence in Construction
Framework for Competence
Competence in Construction
Card/Certification Schemes
• The framework should require:
- an overarching system to co-ordinate and control the numerous
cards/certification
- training/education schemes to integrate H & S and human
factors into competence cards/certification
- cards to move towards smart data systems – with data stored
and retrieved by the overarching body
- a unifying quality or kite mark
- a simplified company registration scheme for domestic-type
work
Competence in Construction
Report Vision
• For the management of competency, the framework
should:
- describe competency, the components, and philosophy for
delivery and measurement
- be applicable to all, flexible and non-prescriptive
- provide clarity for evidence and, through the overarching body,
a centralised database of card/certification standards
• Report has made 8 recommendations:
- further fleshing out and agreement on the framework
- disseminate and promulgate competence and understanding of
competence components at all levels
- appreciation of the role of human factors
Competence in Construction
Report Vision
• Recommendations (cont’d)
- Framework to define effective means for evidencing
competence
- Establish a Construction Competency Council
- Identify most appropriate structure/organisation/body to run
the council
- Establish a Secretariat to progress council decisions
- Ensure council consultation to maintain and improve
framework and ensure remains fit-for-purpose
Competence in Construction
Next Steps
• Referral of recommendations to Construction Delivery
Group
• Escalation of recommendations to the Construction
Leadership Council for subsequent actions
• Review of report’s recommendations and industry
feedback session event scheduled 1 December 2014
(Solihull)
Competence in Construction
Summary
• What the report has done
- examined the meanings and perception of competence
- isolated and clarified key constituent components
- recognised human factors and H & S knowledge as essential
components needing marbling throughout competency
requirements
- recognised the need for clarification and components on
competency though a framework
- identified the need for a body to oversee and maintain the
framework, and provide benchmarks for cards/certification
Competence in
Construction
Thanks for listening!