While working in Canada, I acquired skills as a DACUM (Developing A Curriculum) and CAP (Competency Analysis Profile) facilitator. Both these processes are widely-used throughout North America (in government, colleges, the armed forces, and the private sector) as a relatively quick and inexpensive way of conducting occupational analyses as the first step of the training cycle.
I can find no references to the use of either of these processes in the UK. Are any subscribers active in either of these techniques? Or are they completely unheard of, here?
I will likely be starting to freelance, shortly, and it would be interesting to have feedback on why these techniques seem not to be used in the UK.
Adrian Waygood Chartered FCPID
2 Responses
Analysis techniques
Adrian
There are some style differences between North America and the UK, and this is one of them. The US and Canada are stronger on branded techniques and products compared to the UK. Canada also has a good tradition of braodly based facilitation, with IAF accreditation for example. The UK is stronger on trainer professionalism and bespoke approaches to L&D.
It is also more common in North America to use branded analysis techniques such as the ones you quote. These particular approaches are rare in the UK (or at least I have never heard of them being used here, though they may be known in parts of the education sector).
The UK is more eclectic. There are various competency profiling approaches used, job profiling, skills profiling, job analyses, etc. But no one branded approach dominates. I think your skills (and the techniques) could be of value but I would play down the acronyms and the fact that they are North American (in some organisations at least). I would stress the benefits such as speed and economy.
If you want to see an example of profiling used in government in the UK, take a look at http://psg.civilservice.gov.uk
Best of luck
Graham
DACUM/CAD?
Thank you, Graham. An interesting response. It is interesting to compare UK techniques with those used in other countries. One concern that I do have with the UK is the way in which training continues to remain in the hands of HR, and I’m not convinced that HR professionals have the right background to be providing training. Since the CIPD merged the two interests, some time ago, training seems to have been relegated to the back seat or beyond -as evidenced by the content of the CIPD fortnightly magazine, which rarely contains articles that would benefit any experienced training professional. In North America, there is more of a requirement to have training professionals have far more relevant educational qualifications.