11th January 2017
Competency Assurance Management Systems (CAMS) – Case Related Challenges
Delton has had active involvement in CAMS projects for over 15 years and some projects have presented major challenges to Delton Training’s role in designing, developing, installing and maintaining CAMS and associated CAMS training activities.
Developing solutions to address these challenges has resulted in a range of effective strategies that have been applied:-
- Correct scoping and approach to work-based assessment
- Clearly defining the assessment process methodology
- Accurately identifying skills-gaps in terms of work-based training
- Defining the ‘standards’ to be applied (in-house and/or internationally recognised industry standards – for example: OPITO)
- Correct choice of the Examining and Awarding Bodies to which the outcomes and subsequent qualifications are to be aligned and applied to:-
- the location of the ‘Asset’ concerned
- the preference of the Asset’s Competence team
- The ‘parent’ company’s established working culture and vision.
A number of project challenges encountered by Delton Training and its clients are detailed as below:-
Project Challenges
- Insufficient involvement amongst stakeholders as to ‘Why’ undertake such a project – HSE, Production efficiency levels etc
- Setting of company ‘Expectations’ and ‘Defined Outcomes’ for doing so.
- Incorrect financial forecasting of costs and the time-frames required to achieve the objectives
- Incorrect setting of realistic goals and KPI’s
- Incorrect setting and managing the project expectations with the client’s management team
- Limited stakeholder project ‘buy-in’ (CAMS team, plant managers, supervisors and the workforce being assessed).
- Implementation of a ‘one-fits-all’ set of Qualifications and ‘Standards’ to be applied across both an international and multi-cultural workforce
- Poor structuring of Competency Team combined with unclear remit and designated authority
- Inadequate CAMS induction programme applied to all stakeholders
- Lack of introduction of performance incentives to trainees to achieve
- Inadequate ‘selling’ of the benefits of a ‘Skills Gap Elimination Training programme’ (SGETP) to all stakeholders – HSE, Financial, Production, Maintenance, Materials Procurement & HR
- Lack of a clear ‘route map’ demonstrating capability development
THE DELTON APPROACH TO COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT
The above points, we believe, demonstrate that Delton Training has gained valuable project experience in developing, implementing and managing CAMS projects internationally and has learned many lessons during our involvement in these projects.
We are aware that most of our clients implement a CAMS philosophy which is: ‘to deliver, by a single global tool, a consistent approach to assessing and recording the competency of its personnel.’
Delton Training also applies this philosophy to CAMS and believes that by ‘partnering’ with our clients, we are able to put our joint experiences and lessons learned to the best use, in order to enable us to deliver a credible and sustainable CAMS programme.
Delton Training has ‘project managed’ numerous projects on behalf of a client and has worked under the umbrella of a client-company designated ‘Project Manager’.
Delton Training has extensive and valuable experience to offer its clients and welcomes the opportunity to act as an indispensable resource provider.
Delton Training would expect to sign a confidentiality and non-disclosure agreement (NDA) at the outset of a project, in order to ensure that client confidentiality and intellectual property is protected throughout.
DELTON ASSESSORS, TRAINERS AND VERIFIERS
Delton Training can draw upon an extensive team of qualified CAMS Assessors and Quality Assurance/Internal Verifiers, in addition to those currently engaged on projects. These specialists comprise European/Western nationalities, non-European including Asian, Arabic and North American nationalities.
Our database of CAMS Consultants numbers over 280 qualified Assessors, with 20% accredited to Internal Verifier level or higher, comprising 15 nationalities and spanning the four principle trade-disciplines of operations, mechanical, electrical & instrumentation, including Project Managers.
Delton Training will be pleased to provide a sample of CV’s of qualified specialists upon request.