EnABLing cOMpETENcy-bAsEd LEAR ning

on undertaking training without a long-term personal commitment. he stressed, “Methanex Trinidad is focused on building and maintaining a competent workforce, in the face of meeting organizational challenges. The system is primarily a developmental tool. it is not a performance management tool. The linkage exists in enabling meaningful career conversations around individuals’ career development and organizational needs.” in August 2013, Methanex Trinidad engaged PetroSkills to develop a competence management and assurance system, and to provide software technology to help manage the delivery and reporting of competency-based solutions. Building on the work undertaken by Methanex new zealand, this initiative afforded the provision of both content and assurance in defining competency maps and profiles that identify work processes, competencies and tasks, in tandem with theoretical (knowledge) and practical (capability) components required. it also took into account competence development and competence assurance according to the discipline and relative to the career stage.

As a corporate initiative, Methanex new zealand was the first site to partner with PetroSkills, with a focus on the Manufacturing team. Anthony narine, Senior human Resources Advisor, member of the global Competency Assurance Team (gCAT) and project lead for the Methanex Trinidad site, articulated the vision of all employees being personally responsible and fully engaged in the process of competence assurance and competency-based learning, and a de-emphasis

The project’s overarching goals are focused on creating a system to define the competencies required for the job, identifying knowledge and capability components that support attainment of the competencies and re-certifying (where applicable) to maintain relevancy. Through its delivery, it can also reduce the subjectivity that can, at times, accompany the assessment of an individual’s developmental need.

Several milestones have already been achieved. Supported by Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) and site leadership commitment, Anthony is encouraged by the level of enthusiasm and remains committed to enabling and sharing knowledge across the Methanex sites – with geismar (Louisiana) being recently added. he affirmed, “Methanex Trinidad is the second manufacturing site to engage PetroSkills and although we are currently focused on two teams – Operations and Finance – the process will be iterative to include other teams in 2014.” in aligning competencies with work processes, promoting continuous learning, renewed selfcommitment and site leadership support, Methanex Trinidad is on track to developing and sustaining a top quartile workforce and consequently its reliability.