The essay conclusively highlights the competency-based training approaches for adult workers. The focus, however, is primarily on the early childhood industry in Singapore. The competency-based approaches for adult workers revolve around the implementation of particular skills and knowledge and application to the distinct sectors within the appropriate performance standards required in employment. This approach analyzed the continuing education and training in Singapore as well as how it applies in the workplace. The essay utilized research books to provide an understanding of CBT approaches. The research was limited explicitly to Singapore and ways through which these approaches affect the early childhood industry. The findings indicate that CBT is inevitable especially in the competitive labor markets. Individuals and companies as well have embraced this training mechanism to ensure that they continue to improve and grow their skills. The early childhood educators are also taking advantage of this training mechanism advance their expertise through continuing professional development (CPD). Researchers should thus focus on the current competency-based training approaches. This analysis will ensure that individuals, as well as organizations, can identify and integrate them into their daily operations.
Introduction
The concept of competency-based approaches for adult workers entails the implementation of certain skills and knowledge and application to the distinct industries within the appropriate performance standards needed in employment. According to Brennan, this approach is anchored on seven pillars that include collection, analysis and expression of ideas and information, planning and organizing activities, teamwork, mathematical techniques, problem solving and the use of technology (2016). The Singapore early childhood program has embraced the competency-based approach since it’s therapeutic and intervention in social learning that highlights complex issues. The intervention plan is effective based on the role and involvement of the children’s parents throughout the process (Fuggle et al., 2012). This essay will, therefore, focus on the competency-based approaches for adult workers in Singapore with a specific focus on early childhood components.
Questions
1. a)Describe at least four environmental issues
The Continuing Education and Training landscape in Singapore has gone through a series of developments throughout the year primarily due to their presence in a globalized environment that requires updated skill frame. These environmental issues include the state of employment, government initiatives, labor market and challenges of workforce development. The labor market defines the availability of labor and employment through the aspects of demand and supply (Riphahn and Zibrowius, 2016). The job market has affected the CET landscape in Singapore Early Childhood industry by the need to stay relevant with the appropriate skills required in the industry. The labor market has facilitated the development of CET since as an early childhood educator professional growth is continuous (Billett et al., 2014). This development allows the educator to stay well informed of the latest curriculum, which is subsequently beneficial to the young children who are significantly impacted by their surroundings.
Government initiatives have both positive and negative impacts on continuing education and training since it’s the ability to utilize power to meet the people’s requirements. In Singapore, the government’s vision is to have sixty percent of the country’s population well versed with skills relevant in the early childhood industry. The government’s plan and initiative will by 2020 look into equipping the educators with the knowledge that prepares them for both current and future opportunities in the industry (Authority, 2014). Based on the Early Childhood Care and Education skill framework, quality education is crucial since it reflects on the children’s progress and interactions with others. The government plan will thus expose the educators to aspects that will improve their approach and skills.
On the other hand, state of employment has dictated the relationship between the employers and the employees. According to Sung et al. (2013), the state of employment has continued to change the nature of employability requirements that have evolved from the common skills to work-intensive aspects. The state of employment in Singapore early childhood industry is a holistic approach that goes beyond an educator being able to stay employed. Early childhood education has experienced tremendous growth over the years, and the trend is expected to continue with the increased demand for early childhood services. In this regard, the industry has effected the modification and advancements in workforce training to meet the need for highly effective employability mechanisms.
The challenges of workforce development is another environmental issue that affects continuing education and training. The challenges affecting Singapore’s early childhood industry include; lack of motivation and updated curriculum development schedules. For instance, the educators might be willing to learn and expand their knowledge base, but they lack the necessary exposure that will allow them to grow their skills. The CET program will thus be affected by lack of support that will improve their professional skill set and exposure to new technological advancements.
b) How these environmental issues affected Continuing Education and Training (CET) in Singapore
Singapore has always been identified as a developmental state whose focus is facilitating the growth of the population’s expertise and skills. Continuing education and training was developed in the country to deal with the unemployment issues through skill re-engineering to meet the requirements in the job market. Hence, these environmental issues have modified Singapore’s approach to employment and equipping professionals with appropriate skills relevant to the new, robust and competitive industries (Joyce, 2015).
The environmental problems such as labor markets and government initiatives have facilitated the development of success factors within the CET system. These factors entail the establishment of countrywide skills and framework, quality assurance to ensure public confidence, appropriate and accessible training, strategic skill implementation and national qualification curriculum framework. Furthermore, these issues have affected the changes within the current CET system, which is more proactive as compared to the old system. For example, government initiatives have allowed them to have a direct influence on the workers full participation in upgrading their skills, a factor that was initially optional for the employees.
2. a)How Competency-Based Training can be applied to your Workplace
This approach is beneficial in the workplace since it gives the employees a competitive edge in the market when it is implemented in the daily operations. It is applicable in the workplace since it stipulates the factors that are beneficial to the company and those which need to be modified or eliminated. The approaches include identifying the performance gaps, contextualization and training and development. Identification of performance gaps is a skill set that educators learn during competency-based training. The CBT approach applied to early childhood industry in Singapore by identifying how to improve the educators and how they can integrate their daily learnings in their surroundings (Ting et al., 2007).
The children’s growth should be holistic, a factor that ultimately affects their general performance at school and their relationships with other people. CBT approach applied in this particular workspace since the industry was able to identify the gap that exists between educators, learners, and parents. Parents should work together with the educators to ensure that the child’s development is not limited to particular surroundings (Sheridan et al., 2009).
Training and development is another crucial competency-based training mechanism that can be applied in the work environment. The early childhood industry can use this approach to grow the skills internally as well as through developmental forums. According to the Early Childhood Development Agency, training and development are applied using the skills framework. The employees use this training mechanism as a guide to make clear decisions about their skill enhancements and general career growth. Employers, on the other hand, use the approach to identify strategic and relevant skills and further invest in development and training programs.
Contextualization refers to the alignment of language into meaningful items that provide the appropriate communicative value to the students. The Singapore government has invested in the education system by ensuring that the curriculum is updated, children know science and literacy and the development of well-trained teaching force. The early childhood industry can apply this approach at work to ensure the education system has a positive influence on the children. Early childhood education is significant in the child’s future success. Thus, contextualization is applied through the universal integration of the languages.
b) Features of the current Workforce Skills Qualification (WSQ) System relevant to the approach
The Workforce Skills Qualifications refers to a competency skill based mechanism that is systematic and relevant to the industry and a pathway through which workers can grow their professions. The pertinent features of the competency-based training approaches consist of types of skills, WSQ levels, assessment and training pathways. The types of skill will dictate how the workers make their decision regarding their chosen career paths. The early childhood educators, for instance, will handle children at different levels based on their skills and experience.
Competency-based training will align with one's skills as they advance from one level to the next. The WSQ consists of six levels that are closely associated with qualifications (Kodiappan, 2011). Workforce skills qualification allows individuals to take charge of their career progressions. For example, the early childhood professionals will only advance to the next level after the attainment of required competencies. These levels are therefore a confirmation that the student is well equipped with relevant knowledge and skills to help them achieve the highest qualifications (Choon-yin, 2017).
Training pathways aim to meet the different requirements and needs of every learner. Hence as a feature of WSQ, training pathway facilitates classroom learning, e-learning, workplace learning and blended learning. These pathways are relevant to early childhood education since the educator can choose the appropriate training method that works for the children. Classroom learning pathway, for instance, is common in the early childhood industry. This is due to the systematic approach used by the teachers and the face-to-face interaction.
Assessment pathway looks into the different assessment needs such as facilitated learning, composite learning, workplace learning and practicum-based assessment. The early childhood industry could positively benefit from the workplace assessment method due to its analysis of the daily practices in the workspace. The effectiveness of the industry will greatly improve since the assessor can determine the actual work performance and identify any gaps and inconsistencies.
3. How can the WSQ system address emerging issues in the CET landscape?
According to Isaacs, one of the major challenges in Singapore is how they can prepare learners with the relevant skills required in the twenty-first century. The WSQ system will address the changing face of the workforce through the adoption of best practices. These practices include integration of ICT in the continuing education and training to ensure updated curriculum and development tools. The early childhood educators should be encouraged to adopt continuous professional development (CPD) practices. This will ensure that the professionals can identify and adapt to the changing face of the workforce (Seng, 2014).
The transnational qualifications framework refers to a formal structure that allows for the development, assessment, and improvement of quality education within the system. The workforce skills qualification will address this issue by ensuring the standardization of process. In the early childhood industry, the system will ensure that the transnational qualifications framework aligns with continuous education and training. The qualification level and size will be used to enforce consistency because of the emergence of the transnational qualifications framework (Bateman and Liang, 2016).
4. a)Describe how non-WSQ competency-based training model can be applied to your workplace
The non-WSQ training model consists of Professional Action Competency, which is a model that defines what is required to carry out one's responsibilities efficiently at work. This model can be applied in the workplace by defining the employees’ performance based on the company’s overall strategy. This framework is applicable in the early childhood industry as management can use it to identify self-reliant individuals. The industry is quite dynamic thus; technical and social competence will be appropriate in the workplace. Continual learning also makes the training model relevant in the work environment since educators can gain knowledge and advance their careers.
b) Describe at least three operating principles that are relevant to the application.
These operating principles include holistic approach, which defines competency measures that highlight the outcomes, transfer and reflective learning. Reflective learning refers to the ability to evaluate and analyze a situation according to the goal (Rauner and Maclean, 2008). These operating principles apply to the early childhood industry since the educators are required to develop the learners holistically, transfer their learnings and initiate reflective learning in their schedules. Professional action competency also inspires the educators to focus on continuing professional development because the learners depend on them for knowledge and guidance Leberman and MacDonald, 2016.
5. Describe at least four features of a non-WSQ National Training system and explain how they have helped in that country’s workforce development.
The features of the National Training system entail competency standards that were established to define the training and assessment programs. Training organizations that have an open access system allow workers and trainees to interact and train together. Legislation is another feature of the National Training System that helps in the establishment of standard work practices. Apprenticeship helps the learners adapt training best practices via observation and mentorship from other people. The non-WSQ national training system has helped Singapore’s workforce development by providing a structured organization for formal education to be accredited (Kuruvilla, 2002).
Additionally, the system facilitates the coordinated growth and implementation of development strategies that develop the expertise of the nation’s population as well as support the progression of the economic concept. The learners are also able to acquire information about the supply and demand of skills and how they are recognized in real life work environments. Germany’s dual system is anchored on the principles whereby the private and public institutions work together to offer on-the-job training in combination with part-time vocational school education (Euler, 2013). The objective of this system is to offer an organized training system in vocational training and competencies required in the evolving labor market.
The features that are beneficial in the Germany workforce include quality and accredited companies (Wieland, 2015). The dual vocational education system is a certified agency with two learning venues, apprentice mentors, examinations, and certificates. Theoretical skills and knowledge that is impacted during training. Employment and career services is a characteristic feature in Germany since the system can steer the individuals to their career paths and not termination during the initial training. Finally, ownership and high engagement between employers and the relevant partners ensure continued growth in the workforce growth (Deissinger and Hellwig, 2005).
Conclusion
In conclusion, competency-based approaches are aspects that are relevant to the current market. The advancements in technology and dynamic nature of the market requires that the workers are receptive to advancing their skills. The essay has therefore analyzed the environmental issues, CBT approaches, WSQ, non-WSQ competency approaches and the features of the national training system. The focus throughout the paper has been specifically on early childhood industry. Researchers should focus on the current competency-based approaches based on how the companies can integrate them into their systems.
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