Competencies: Frequently Asked Questions
The competencies have been introduced to make the process of applying for, and being assessed for, membership more logical, objective and certain. At first sight, they may appear off-putting but they just need to be worked through carefully. Put at its simplest, the competencies are specific statements of what a candidate understands and has good experience in. They are split into 'activities' which break down the competency into smaller chunks. Below are some of the most frequently asked questions that we are asked about them.
Q. I have experience of more than one of the specialist routes, should I get myself signed off in more than one of them?
A. I would advise just to choose your strongest suit and keep to the one set of specialist competencies. If you have broader experience than this, then you can draw attention to this via your detailed CV.
Q. Do I have to complete the General Competencies?
A. All applicants for membership (at corporate level; Member or Fellow) must complete the general competencies, regardless of the specialist route chosen.
Q. Who can sign off (sponsor) the competencies for me?
A. Ideally, this should be both your manager and an ICES Member or Fellow. But your manager is still the right person to sign them off as it is essential that the person reviewing the competencies with you has a real understanding of your skills, comprehension and experience. So the requirement that your manager is an ICES member can be waived. However, one of your application sponsors must be an ICES Member or Fellow and will, in effect, be vouching both for you and your manager.
Q. Why are there three lines for the supervisor's signature?
A. These are for trainees on an ICES company approved training scheme (CATS), so that their supervisor can sign them annually. Other candidates only need one signature on each page, with intials and a date against each activity to denote the grade of competency achieved.
Q. What happens if there are one or two activities that I just can't get any experience in, even though I have been reading up on them?
A. If you are genuinely 'stuck' on one or two areas and your employer just can't offer you experience in them, then I suggest the following. Firstly, make some enquiries if there are any opportunities to shadow someone who is working in these particular areas. This might even be with another firm, particularly one that works closely with your own. If this is not possible, then get in touch with us and we will advise you if there is any flexibility in terms of balancing the omission with your skills in other areas. Don't just let your application gather dust if you are almost there bar one or two activities.
Q. How long does it take to get the competencies signed off?
A. How long is a piece of string? If you are signed up to an ICES CATS, then the norm is for the competencies to be sign off gradually over a three year period, with quarterly meetings and gaining a progress signature every year. If you are applying directly on the basis of prior experience, then there is no time minimum. The issue is going to be how long it takes to work through them with your manager. This might take quite a while and can be done more easily if it is split into a series of meetings.
Q. What's all this about cross-referencing?
A. This causes quite a few problems, but really it is very simple. All we ask is that, somewhere in the application documents, there is at least one reference to each competency overall - or, if you prefer, about 10-15% of the specific activities. If you choose to reference individual activities it is best to spread them as much as possible across the competencies. This reference can just be put into the narrative, for example (CM1) at an appropriate point. The purpose of this is to help the examiners link the competencies with actual experience or learning events. Keep it simple - too many references are just confusing and won't help your application.
Q. What kind of evidence do I need to produce to back up the competencies?
A. The ICES assessment is not an NVQ, so there is no need to produce a portfolio in support of the signed-off competencies. Your manager will know your strengths and weaknesses in detail and will be essentially vouching for your claimed competencies. The competencies are also cross-referenced against the other documentation in the application (your detailed CV, experience report, and CPD records). Your competencies will be tested during the review interview by careful questioning and a detailed examination of all the documents. Some of the CATS companies do insist that a portfolio is kept up, but these are usually produced for a number of assessments and not purely for ICES.
Q. I think I have a higher grade of competency in a number of the activities. Should I claim a higher level than is asked for in the optimum grade column?
A. If you have a great deal of experience then it does make sense to claim the real grades of competency that you have achieved. Having said that, I suggest being modest with any additional claims. After all, you are being assessed up to the standard laid down and not beyond.
For further queries, please contact the ICES membership department t: 0161 972 3114.