Workforce Development Colleagues,
The Texas State Technical College System Center for Employability Outcomes (C4EO) has recently launched a new initiative, the Competency Library. It is “a continuously updated database of descriptive statements about what workers need to know and be able to do in their jobs. Expressed in a common skills-based language, the statements are meaningful to business and industry, education and training providers, policy makers and the taxpayers they represent. The descriptive statements are intended to improve transparency in the talent pipeline from career exploration and training to job placement and career advancement.” http://www.c4eo.org/#!skills-library/ce9c
The library uses more than 3,000 “Detailed Work Activities” (DWAs) instead of competencies. These are searchable using natural language processing that allows a user to pose plain language questions, I suppose like “What are the most frequent daily activities of a phlebotomist?” The DWAs try to strike a balance between abstraction and granularity, and apparently “can be configured to describe roughly 900 occupations.”
This is a potentially valuable tool to help students/trainees/clients better understand the activities of positions they might be interested in. It could also help developers of training courses in community colleges and community-based organizations better align their curricula with what local employers need. Ultimately it could better align the needs of employers with workforce development.
Although its focus is on work in Texas, if it is successful other states might be interested in this model.
For more information see this EdSurge Blog article https://www.edsurge.com/n/2014-07-29-how-tstc-s-siri-is-helping-adults-get-the-job-done
David J. Rosen
djrosen@newsomeassociates.com
Comments
Thanks for sharing this resource, David. I went to the website and thought it sounded interesting, but the "proof in the pudding" was going to the part of the site that reports on the case studies. The case studies show how the whole process fits together and the benefits of using the process. Looks like this would be especially useful to community colleges in aligning their curriculum and seeing possibilities for additional careers related to the career pathways they are already supporting. Thanks again for alerting us to this resource.