Competency Standards
Overview
Competency Standards are industry-determined specifications of performance, which describe the skills, knowledge and attitudes required by a worker in the performance of a particular role in the workplace. They are:
- Building blocks for all activities in a competency-based training and certification system
- Used as the basis for assessment, certification, articulation and accreditation
- Clustered to form NVQ-J/CVQ
- Used to establish the basic linkage between the workplace and the training system
- Used for identifying training needs and conducting labour market analyses
- Seen as the most effective way of closing the skills gap, developing the workforce of the future and promoting lifelong learning
A Competency Standard is made up of a unit title, elements, performance criteria, range statements containing evidence guide and key competencies.
A qualification is made up of a series of core and elective units of competence. An individual can be awarded with a Statement of Competence for the achievement of a unit of competence within a qualification or the National Vocational Qualification of Jamaica (NVQ-J) or the Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) if all units within a qualification are successfully completed.