The EdUP project, in collaboration with the National Qualifications Agency, hosted a roundtable discussion titled “Developing Professional Standards for Construction Professions: Successful Cases and Common Mistakes.”
Due to Russian aggression, our country faces the challenge of rebuilding destroyed infrastructure and restoring the economy. Therefore, the EdUP project is actively working on developing professional standards for professions critical to the reconstruction process. This mission is supported by private partners and vocational education institutions.
Oksana Rediuk, a representative from AT “Ukrgasvydobuvannya,” shared her experience in the successful development and approval of professional standards.
"The number one secret to the successful development and approval of a professional standard is the demand from manufacturers for qualified workers in this profession."
A successful case of developing a professional standard for the group of professions “Unmanned Aerial System Operators” was presented by Ihor Diadiura, a representative of the Ukrainian Association of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Operators.
Practical recommendations from the speaker:
- Clearly define and articulate the goal
- Assess your own strengths and resources
- Attend courses at the NQA
- Carefully review the NQA's methodological recommendations and guides
- Familiarize yourself with the relevant legislation
- Formulate a step-by-step and timely plan
- Check existing applications
- Apply specific professions and/or groups of professions in special cases
- Use already approved professional standards as examples
"First and foremost, before developing a professional standard, it is necessary to define and articulate the goal: what you aim to achieve in the end, carefully write out the competencies, and clearly understand for which professions the PS is being made. It's also worth spending time on working relationships between working group members."
Both speakers noted that a professional standard for a group of professions makes it easier to work with personnel, as it allows for the development of complementarity of specialists in a certain area and avoids unjustified logistical costs.
"A professional standard is the best investment from the labor market for the development of the state. Regarding construction professions, the approval of professional standards is also an opportunity to get confirmation of qualifications acquired through non-formal and informal education."
"An important issue is also the comparison of the National Qualifications Framework with the European one. To make Ukrainian qualifications appropriate and understandable to interested parties in the EU countries."
The experience of the European Union, which Ukraine aspires to join, is an example of the effectiveness of professional standards systems. Their clear definition improves the quality of vocational education, provides enterprises with access to qualified labor, promotes the creation of a competitive market economy, and international cooperation.
Roundtable participants also emphasized the importance of the public discussion stage. Because a professional standard as a normative document affects the interests of a significant number of market participants, it is necessary to carefully gather suggestions from interested parties and reflect them in the standard text. At the same time, proper public discussion protects the results of working groups from attempts at manual control and interference at the stage when the document is already approved.
For more information on successful cases of professional standards development, see here:
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