SFIA Assessor Training

Training in the use of SFIA for the assessment of knowledge, skills, competencies and behaviours or the evaluation of a person for a role

This is currently DRAFT - it is being piloted and subject to change.

This training offering is aimed at those who will be assessing the knowledge, skills, competence and behaviours of someone. This may be for one or more skills as a generic personal skills portfolio or for the skills required by a specific role.

Attendance prerequisites for specialist SFIA training

To get full benefit from a specialist SFIA course, attendees should:

Have a good understanding of the SFIA Framework and its general application
Understand the difference between knowledge, skills and behaviours
Understand typical practice in a number of HR-related activities, such as recruitment, preparation of job descriptions or role profiles, appraisal, personal development planning etc
Be aware of the ways in which skills can be developed in the workplace

A good understanding of the SFIA Framework could be achieved through attending SFIA Practitioner or Consultant Level training - this may be provided as part of the specialist training.

Learning outcomes - Skills and Competency Assessor Training

Having attended a course, an attendee should be able to do the following:

**Learning Outcomes - Skills and Competency Assessor Training**
	Outcome	Required
1	Refresh understanding the underlying concepts of SFIA in the context of Skills assessment – the capability model – skills, knowledge, behaviours and experience – the structure of SFIA – where to find out more (SFIA Website) – the assessment guidance	Y
2	Understand the differences of Knowledge, Skill, Competence	Y
3	Understand what can be assessed using the SFIA Framework	Y
4	Understand different types of and approaches to assessment	Y
5	Understand what is needed for an effective assessment scheme – the major elements of a scheme – the importance of consistency	Y
6	Understand evidence requirements for different approaches to assessment – assessing evidence, requiring further clarification, recording evidence	Y
7	Understand the role of an assessor – why assessments are conducted (what value do they have) – what value assessors add – knowledge, experience, behaviour required of assessors	Y
8	Preparing for an effective assessment	Y
9	Able to assess professional skills and Levels of Responsibility using the SFIA Framework	Y
10	Conduct an effective assessment following an agreed approach – evaluate evidence – be aware of a range of questioning/assessment techniques – checks for consistency	Y
11	Dealing with common issues that may occurring assessments	Y
12	Providing feedback on an assessment	Y

Course content

The SFIA Skills and Competency Assessor course should have the following content:

**Course Content - SFIA Skills and Competency Assessor**
	Deccription	Required
	Introduction and Refresh
1.1	Course administration, introductions of course members	Y
1.2	Refresh – What SFIA is	Y
1.3	Refresh – How SFIA can be used for Human Capital Development	Y
1.4	Refresh – The SFIA Structure – SFIA Levels of Responsibility – Generic Attributes – Professional Skills	Y
1.5	Refresh – The Capability Model – Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours	Y
1.6	Refresh – Where to find out more – SFIA Website – Show information available and encourage registration	Y
1.7	SFIA Assessment Guidance	Y
1.8	SFIA Licencing - (Overview)	Y

	Knowledge, Skill and Competence – Understanding the Difference
2.1	General 'interchangeable' use of terms by industry – Easy confusions including ISO Terminology - How they are related	Y
2.2	Knowledge	Y
2.3	Skill and Proficiency	Y
2.4	Competency and Competence	Y

	Understand what can be assessed using SFIA
3.1	Assessment – Different framework styles – Issues of measuring Good, Better, Best – Flexibility – Definition vs Interpretation	Y
3.2	Assessment of knowledge, skills and competence	Y
3.3	Assessment of Roles	Y
3.3	Challenges of equivalence and importance of consistency	Y

	Assessment – Understanding different types and approaches
4.1	Reasons for Assessment	Y
4.2	Knowledge Assessment	Y
4.3	Responsibility Assessment	Y
4.4	Skills and Competency Assessment	Y
4.5	Role Assessment	Y
4.6	Submission Review vs Test Questions vs Interview – Understand which to apply and benefits of each	Y
4.7	Observation in the Workplace	Y
4.8	Assessment Guidelines pu blissed on the SFIA Website	Y

	Effective Assessment Schemes
5.1	Characteristics of effective Assessment Schemes – ISO/IEC 17024	Y
5.2	Application, Assessment, Decision, Award, Reporting, Appeal	Y
5.3	The importance of Experienced Assessors	Y
5.4	Selecting and Training Skills Assessors	Y
5.5	Consistency within and across Assessment Schemes	Y
5.6	The impact of the SFIA Levels and assessment approach	Y
5.7	Reporting back to the SFIA Foundation	Y

	Evidence for Assessment
6.1	Types of Evidence	Y
6.2	What to look for in Assessing Evidence	Y
6.3	Seeking Further Information / Clarification	Y
6.4	Maintaining Assessment Records	Y

	The Role of the Skills Assessor
7.1	The Role of the Assessor	Y
7.2	Benefits and Value the Assessor Provides	Y
7.3	What the Assessor Does	Y
7.4	Required Attributes of Assessors – Knowledge Skills, Behaviours	Y
7.5	Managing the Candidate's Concern	Y

	Preparing for an Assessment
8.1	Preparation and Planning	Y
8.2	Making the Best Use of the Time Available	Y

	Assessing Skills and Levels of Responsibility
9.1	looking at LoRs and Skills as the Levels progress	Y
9.2	What does the Evidence Show against what is claimed	Y

	Conducting an Effective Assessment
10.1	Evaluating Evidence	Y
10.2	Questioning and Assessment Techniques	Y
10.3	Checks for Consistency	Y
10.4	Quality Assurance	Y

	Dealing with Common Issues
11.1	Lack of Evidence	Y
11.2	Credibility of Evidence	Y
11.3	Seeing what they have done vs what they think they can do	Y
11.4	Dealing with Conflict	Y

	Providing Feedback on the Assessment
12.2	Presenting the Findings	Y
12.2	Identifying Development Needs and Opportunities	Y
12.3	Personal Development Planning	Y
12.4	Enhancing the Assessment Process	Y

	Wrap up
13.1	Review of Learning Objectives	Y
13.2	Feedback	Y
13.3	Encourage attendees to register on the SFIA Website as personal or corporate	Y

	Exercises and discussions (As appropriate throughout the course to practice key aspects)
E.1	Discuss how your organisation might use SFIA - can be part of introduction and revisited	Y
E.2	Determining a Level of Responsibility	Y
E.3	Creation of a Role Profile	O
E.4	Extracting SFIA Skills from a CV or similar submission	Y
E.5	Assessing the SFIA skills of an individual	Y
E.6	Interview Technique	Y
E.7	Others as appropriate?	O