Grants

Finger Lakes Wired Allocating Additional Funds for Scholarships to Region’s Businesses for Training Incumbent Workers in 2009

Application / Word
Application / PDF
Application Guidelines / Word
Application Guidelines / PDF
In-depth Information on Competency Models
FAQs
Budget Worksheet / Excel

Talent development has been a priority of Finger Lakes Wired from its beginning in 2006. Finger Lakes Wired has provided businesses in the Region with over $3 million dollars in funding for workforce training and skills upgrades that has resulted in over 5000 incumbent workers receiving necessary technical, occupational and in-demand skills training that will make it possible for businesses in the nine county region and their workers to stay competitive in a global economy.

With each year that the scholarship program has been available, Finger Lakes Wired has become more and more knowledgeable of the needs of the Finger Lakes Wired targeted-industries: advanced manufacturing, alternative energy, bio/life sciences, business services, engineering, information technology, healthcare, and optics/imaging. Each year subtle changes to the scholarship program have made it more responsive to what it will take to help businesses compete locally and globally and to empower the region’s workforce with in-demand, transferable skills.

In 2009 the criteria for evaluating applications for scholarship funding will include alignment with Competency Model concepts. A full description of Competency Models with definitions of terminology and more in-depth information can be found on this document or at http://www.careeronestop.org/competencymodel/.

Competency Models describe the capabilities (competencies), related knowledge, skills, and abilities acknowledged to be necessary to perform tasks in a defined work setting. Depicted in a pyramid form, the lower tiers (Tier I to Tier III) depict competencies that are common to a broad range of jobs and the higher-up tiers begin to include targeted competencies and skills needed in specific industries. Tier I – Tier III competencies are often referred to as “employability skills” in that they can translate into productivity improvement as well as job attainment and job retention skills for the worker.

Businesses applying for scholarship funds in 2009 will need to identify the corresponding “tier” alignment of their proposed training efforts and provide explanation of how the requested training will benefit the company’s competitive performance, increase productivity and increase the employability skills of their workforce. (For example, technical training may correlate with Tiers 4 or 5 while workplace computer applications, decision making, culture change related initiatives might go to Tier 3 in response to application question #4 and #5.)

Competency Model-Terminology-Definitions

"Building Blocks" for Competency Models

www.careeronestop.org/competencymodel/

This reference source consists of a set of "building blocks" for competency model development. These "building blocks" are arranged in nine tiers including:

Occupation Related • Tier 9 -- Management Competencies • Tier 8 -- Occupation-Specific Requirements • Tier 7 -- Occupation-Specific Technical Competencies • Tier 6 -- Occupation-Specific Knowledge Competencies Industry Related • Tier 5 -- Industry-Specific Technical Competencies • Tier 4 -- Industry-Wide Technical Competencies Foundational Competencies • Tier 3 -- Workplace Competencies • Tier 2 -- Academic Competencies • Tier 1 -- Personal Effectiveness

View the Competency Model Technical Assistance Guide: http://www.careeronestop.org/CompetencyModel/tag.htm

Each tier includes a set of related competencies. The tiers are arranged in a hierarchy. At the base of the model, the competencies apply to a large number of occupations and industries. As a user moves up the model, the competencies become industry and occupation specific.

The nine tiers of the model are divided into blocks representing the skills, knowledge and abilities essential for successful performance in the industry or occupation represented by the model. The tiers are grouped:

• Foundational Competencies
• Industry Related
• Occupation Related

The arrangement of the tiers in a pyramidal shape represents the increasing level of specificity and specialization of the content on the upper tiers of the graphic. As a user moves through the various tiers of the model, the competencies become specific to certain industries and/or occupations. The graphic is not intended to represent a sequential model, or to imply that all content area on a lower tier must be achieved prior to tackling a competency on a tier that is at an upper level on the graphic.

Foundational Competencies

At the base of the model, tiers 1 through 3 represent those competencies which provide the foundation for success in school and in the world of work. Employers have identified a link between foundational skills and job performance, as well as the fact that foundational skills are a needed prerequisite for workers to learn new industry-specific skills. These foundational competencies are essential to a large number of occupations and industries.

Tier 1: Personal Effectiveness
Personal Effectiveness Competencies are shown as hovering below the pyramid because these competencies are essential for all life roles—those roles as a member of a family, of a community, and of the larger society. They are not exclusive to the competencies needed for a successful career or role in the workplace. They are included here because these competencies also are valued by employers, and are often referred to as "soft skills." Personal effectiveness competencies are generally learned in the home or community and reinforced and honed at school and in the workplace. They represent personal attributes that may present some challenges to teach or assess. Personal Effectiveness Competencies include:

• Interpersonal Skills
• Integrity
• Professionalism
• Initiative
• Dependability & Reliability
• Willingness to Learn

Tier 2: Academic Competencies
At the base of the model are Academic Competencies. This domain contains critical competencies primarily learned in an academic setting, as well as cognitive functions and thinking styles. These competencies are likely to apply to all organizations represented by a single industry or industry association nationwide. They serve as the foundation for Occupation and Industry Specific Competencies. These competencies include:

• Reading
• Writing
• Mathematics
• Science & Technology
• Communication - Listening & Speaking
• Critical & Analytic Thinking
• Active Learning
• Basic Computer Skills

Tier 3: Workplace Competencies
The next competency domain included in the model is Workplace Competencies. Competencies included in this domain represent those skills and abilities that allow individuals to function in an organizational setting. As with the Academic Competencies, these are generally applicable to a large number of occupations and industries on a national level. The competencies in this domain include:

• Teamwork
• Adaptability/Flexibility
• Customer Focus
• Planning & Organizing
• Creative Thinking
• Problem Solving & Decision Making
• Working with Tools & Technology
• Workplace Computer Applications
• Scheduling & Coordinating
• Checking, Examining & Recording
• Business Fundamentals

Foundational competencies are frequently referred to as Work Readiness Competencies. Search for examples of Foundation Model

Industry Related

The competencies shown on Tiers 4 and 5 are grouped and referred to as Industry Competencies. The cross-cutting industry-wide technical competencies make it possible to show career lattices within an industry wherein a worker can move easily across industry sub-sectors. As a result, this model supports the development of an agile workforce, rather than narrowly following a single occupational career ladder.

Tier 4: Industry-Wide Technical Competencies
Industry-Wide Technical Competencies represent the next domain in the hierarchy of "building blocks." Competencies included in this domain represent the knowledge, skills and abilities needed by all occupations within an industry. These competencies remain undefined in the building block model. Industry representatives need to specify and define these competencies for each industry as part of the competency model development process.

Recently, representatives of the Advanced Manufacturing industry used the building blocks as the starting point for the development of an Advanced Manufacturing competency model. The industry-wide competencies identified by these industry representatives included:

• Production
• Maintenance, Installation & Repair
• Manufacturing Process Development/Design
• Supply Chain Management
• Quality Assurance/Continuous Improvement
• Health & Safety

Tier 5: Industry-Specific Technical Competencies
At the next level in the model are the Industry-Specific Technical Competencies. Competencies included in this domain represent the knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics needed by all occupations within an industry segment (e.g., the Chemical Manufacturing segment of the Advanced Manufacturing Industry). These competencies remain undefined in the building block model. Industry leaders and partner associations need to specify and define these competencies for each specific industry as part of the competency model development process.

Search for Industry Model Resources

Occupation Related

The competencies on Tiers 6, 7, and 8 are grouped and referred to as Occupational Competencies. Occupational competency models are frequently developed to define performance in a workplace, to design competency-based curriculum, or to articulate the requirements for an occupational credential such as a license or certification.

Tier 6: Occupation-Specific Knowledge Areas

O*NET Knowledge areas:

• Administration & Management
• Biology
• Building & Construction
• Chemistry
• Clerical
• Communications & Media
• Computers & Electronics
• Customer & Personal Services
• Design
• Economics & Accounting
• Education & Training
• Engineering & Technology
• English Language
• Fine Arts
• Food Production
• Foreign Language
• Geography
• History & Archeology
• Law & Government
• Mathematics
• Mechanical
• Medicine & Dentistry
• Personnel & Human Resources
• Philosophy & Theology
• Physics
• Production & Processing
• Psychology
• Public Safety & Security
• Sales & Marketing
• Sociology & Anthropology
• Telecommunications
• Therapy & Counseling
• Transportation

Tier 7: Occupation-Specific Technical Competencies

Building on Occupation-Specific Knowledge Areas, all occupations require certain technical competencies. Often, these competencies are specific to a particular occupation, organization, or WIB. These competencies are not specified in the model and need to be defined by partners and shareholders developing competency models that are specific to their occupation(s) of interest. As with the Occupation-Specific Knowledge Areas, many readily available resources (such as community college curricula) can be used to identify or develop Occupation-Specific Technical Competencies.

Tier 8: Occupation-Specific Requirements

The top level of the model is labeled Occupation-Specific Requirements. This domain includes requirements such as certification, licensure, and specialized educational degrees, or physical and training requirements. Again, these competencies are specific to a particular occupation, organization, or WIB. Model developers need to specify those requirements that are specific to the key occupation(s) in a given industry sector. Once again, many readily available resources (such as community college curricula) can be used to identify these requirements.

Tier 9: Management Competencies

The competencies included in the Management Competencies domain are specific to supervisory and managerial occupations and include:

• Staffing
• Informing
• Delegating
• Networking
• Monitoring Work
• Entrepreneurship
• Supporting Others
• Motivating & Inspiring
• Developing & Mentoring
• Strategic Planning/Action
• Preparing & Evaluating Budgets
• Clarifying Roles & Objectives
• Managing Conflict & Team Building
• Developing an Organizational Vision
• Monitoring & Controlling Resources

For assistance or more information please contact:
Kristina Ioele, Finger Lakes Wired
255 North Goodman St., Rochester, NY 14607
Telephone: (585) 258-3548
Fax: (585) 232-6033

Updated 3.20.09