Capability development – a model for supporting workforce change and innovation
ARTICLE | Maret Staron and Robby Weatherley, TAFE NSW ICVET
Capability development, workforce development, professional development, capability development model, planning tools.
More and more we are hearing the term capability development. What does it really mean? Is it different to professional development? What about competencies?
Capability development places importance on people and their capacity to perform at high levels in a rapidly changing working environments and contexts. Developing skills and knowledge is just one aspect of capability development. Being able to apply those skills in different contexts, with confidence, differentiates skill and capability. Creating capability is about moving away from segmented activities of development to holistic activities that have more meaning and purpose.
Capability development focuses on the development of the individual or team through a range of strategies or activities that aim to achieve current business goals, meet future challenges and build capacity for change.
Capability
Capability is a holistic attribute which is easier to recognise than define. Capable people:
- Know how to learn
- Are creative
- Have a high degree of self-efficacy
- Are confident in applying their competencies, and
- Work well with others in familiar as well as unfamiliar situations.
(Stephenson & Weil, 1992)
Developing capability involves a process. Farrell and Patterson in Morely (2001, p. 26) write:
…progression in capability cannot be made in simple incremental steps. Like riding a bicycle, you learn by concentrating on simple aspects – pedalling or steering. Then, quite suddenly you get the hang of it. You practice some more in different circumstances, or with different equipment, and gradually become more capable. Increasingly, you can handle more variables and different challenges with a broader understanding.
Morely suggests that: ‘the necessity of abilities being exercised together and with coherence in appropriate contexts (becomes) obvious’ - this is capability.
Competency
In comparison, competence focuses on the acquisition of knowledge, skills and attributes, whereas capability focuses on people’s confidence in applying the knowledge, skills and attributes in a range of contexts. (Stephenson et al, 1992)
Competencies are individual and measurable skills acquired to do a job to an agreed standard of performance within a given range of contexts.
Professional development
Professional development is that aspect of capability development that focuses on formal learning activities such as on-the-job training, workshops, short courses, conferences, as well as approaches such as work based learning projects.
Professional development supports individuals and teams in their development and currency of skills, knowledge and attributes, thereby contributing to the intellectual capital within the organisation. Professional development often includes expert centred learning, workshops, events and short courses.
In Life Based Learning: A strength based approach for capability development in vocational and technical education, (p. 50) (link) the diagram shows a comparison between three models for professional learning.
A model for capability development
A holistic model for capability development (Fig 1) supports a workforce to respond quickly, effectively and innovatively to a constantly changing environment and to customer needs. Such a model, based on the life based learning philosophy, recognises that the knowledge, skills and attributes of individuals and teams are acquired not only at work, but also external to the work environment, ie; what we do outside of work informs what we do at work. An effective capability development model will therefore provide a wide range of flexible, diverse, adaptive and personalised learning and development options, ensuring that teams and individuals meet business vision and goals.
This model:
- Incorporates expansive learning opportunities which take into account the individual and/or team learning needs
- Emphasises a strength based orientation
- Acknowledges the learner as a ‘whole’ person who accesses many sources of learning.
- Encourages and supports experimental practices leading to new and unexpected knowledge.
Key features of the model are:
- A shared understanding and commitment to the organisational or Institute Culture which outlines the foundation truths and values of the organisation and/or Institute and its vision
- Life based learning characteristics that provide a base from which judgements and decisions can be made on how to proceed with new or different ways of working and learning
- Guiding Principles which place an emphasis on the framework for considering when implementing a capability strategy. These principles may vary between Institutes depending on local needs, issues, priorities and business requirements
- The Organisational Enablers assist and nurture the learning process to support rich learning environments for innovative and new ways of doing business
- Learning Options and Strategies suggest a range of learning options, strategies and approaches that best fit with the learner. These options need to be considered in light of learning taking place at work – on and off the job, as well as outside work. They should also reflect learner preferences.
Details of these features can be seen in the table at the back of this document.
Fig 1: Life based learning model for capability development
A model for capability development based on life based learning theory, provides a plausible and contemporary framework for capability development. It acknowledges multiple sources of learning, which opens up opportunities for experimentation and innovative approaches to developing capability. Life based learning substantially shifts the discourse about professional development by moving beyond the allegiance to work based and expert centred learning. While honouring their legacy, retaining what works and drawing out their potential, it places them into a more contemporary framework.
RESOURCE | A Capability Development Tool is provided as a guide when planning for capability development based on the above model.
See Also
Acknowledgements
The contributions of many to the development of the model and definitions are acknowledged, particularly Wendy Perry and David Kemp.