Task-related competencies: knowledge, skills, and abilities of the helping professionals

ABSTRACT

The role of competencies in lifelong education is of great interest across helping professions. However, no known empirical research has focused on exploring the relationship between competencies and job tasks within the context of helping professions. This study sought to establish the competencies (i.e. knowledge, skills, and abilities) that the helping professionals use to perform their jobs. This research utilised an exploratory sequential mixed methods design. In the qualitative phase, focus group interviews were carried out with subject-matter experts to explore the tasks and competencies of helping professionals. Then, building on the findings, an inventory of the tasks and competencies of helping professionals was formed. In the quantitative phase, 819 helping professionals were asked to rate each of the items in this inventory. The results of the exploratory factor analyses yielded a multidimensional structure for both the competencies and tasks. Next, multiple linear regression analyses revealed that different categories of competencies were associated with different task domains. The findings can contribute to a better understanding of lifelong learning within helping professions.

KEYWORDS:

• helping professionals
• competencies
• job functions

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Supplemental data

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/02601370.2023.2262149