“Assessing Skills through Competency-Based Approaches”

Nuzhat Jafri, Executive DirectorWorkforce One-Stop 2012, Conference Board of Canada

Metro Toronto Convention CentreApril 25, 2012

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Office of the Fairness Commissioner:Introduction

• Regulatory agency of Government of Ontario

• Opened 2007

• Ensures that regulated professions have transparent, objective, impartial and fair licensing

• Oversees 40 regulatory bodies for professions

• Commissioner is Hon. Jean Augustine, PC, CM

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Office of the Fairness Commissioner: Introduction

• Regulatory bodies

– Health and non-health

– 790,000 members

– 14 percent internationally trained

• Commissioner’s role

– Assess licensing practices

– Recommend changes

– Monitor improvement

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Assessments

• Types

– Degree equivalency

– Occupation-specific

– Prior learning

– Examinations

– Competency

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Competency Assessment

• Definition: A competency based assessment process determines what an individual knows and can do.

• Used by post-secondary institutions, regulatory bodies for professions

• May be useful to understand expertise of internationally trained people

• Research shows that competency assessment often refers to the same process as ‘prior learning assessment’

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Competency Assessment

• Purposes

– To help identify educational/learning needs

– To provide feedback on how a person is progressing

– To assess performance

– To decide whether someone has achieved competency through informal or formal means

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Competency Assessment

• How does it work?

– Does not necessarily replace assessment of credentials

– May include:

• Written exam

• Portfolio

• Self-assessment

• Demonstration

• Oral questioning

– Must include more than one tool

– Should involve comprehensive training for assessors

– Must include clear communication with applicants

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Competency Assessment

• Ontario regulatory bodies

– 20 of 38 professions report they use it

– Use a variety of approaches:

• Single examination

• Verified practice in the profession

• Formal program, e.g., residency or bridging program

– May or may not be competency assessment

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Competency Assessment

• Alberta example

– ‘Substantially Equivalent Competency’ (SEC) Assessment

– For internationally educated nurses

– At Mount Royal University, Calgary

• Steps

– Nurse applies to regulatory body for initial assessment of transcripts

– Regulator refers 75 % of internationally educated nurses to SEC

– SEC uses multiple assessment tools in a comprehensive and structured approach

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Competency Assessment

• Research themes

– The literature cites a need for more research.

– Multiple assessment methods should be used.

– Assessors must be highly trained.

– Clear, timely communication with applicants is necessary.

– Organizations must assure the quality of their assessments.

– Competency assessment is costly for organizations and lengthy for applicants.

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Competency Assessment

• More information

– Canadian Association for Prior Learning Assessment. Assessing the Skills and Competencies of Internationally Trained Immigrants: A Manual for Regulatory Bodies, Employers and Other Stakeholders ISBN 978-0-9781782-1-5

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Contact: www.fairnesscommissioner.ca