Competency-Based Assessment: Unlocking Professional Skills

1. “Assessing Skills through Competency-Based Approaches” Nuzhat Jafri, Executive Director Workforce One-Stop 2012, Conference Board of Canada Metro Toronto Convention Centre April 25, 2012

2. 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 Office of the fairness commissioner

3. 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 Office of the fairness commissioner

4. Assessments • Types • Degree equivalency • Occupation-specific • Prior learning • Examinations • Competency Office of the fairness commissioner

5. 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’ Office of the fairness commissioner

6. 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 Office of the fairness commissioner

7. 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 Office of the fairness commissioner

8. 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 Office of the fairness commissioner

9. 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 Office of the fairness commissioner

10. 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. Office of the fairness commissioner

11. 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 Office of the fairness commissioner

12. Contact: www.fairnesscommissioner.ca Office of the fairness commissioner