Competency-Based Career Training Programs

Abstract

Holland College of Applied Arts and Technology in Prince Edward Island places great responsibility on students, instructors and professionals in the field to design, execute and evaluate its career training program. An important role in its program design is played by present practitioners, who form a committee to identify areas of competence within their field, the skills necessary for competence, and a rating scale for skill proficiency. The committee's work is translated into a competency-based instructional program which is then individualised by the student who is expected, with help, to plan his training program, set standards and rate his skill proficiency. Instructors are asked to take important professional decisions about individual students. Success of the program depends upon instructors and students who will both assume responsibility for the student's progress. Success also depends on the design of the system, and to this end the program is consciously being developed toward greater precision and flexibility.