7.2 c) Evaluate the effectiveness of actions taken

Good Day,

I work for an educational institute that is certified to 9001. We were recently issued an NC for not ensuring that actions to acquire the necessary competence, and evaluate the effectiveness of the actions taken were complete.

I am new to the organization. In my previous experience, the organizations I have worked for have done this different ways, through a form being completed in which objectives of training would be defined and then evaluated following the training. Other companies use an annual performance review system to evaluate effectiveness of actions taken (which is not implemented here).

The educational institute I work has a huge scope under their certification including educational training and delivery as well as some Centres that provide service to external clients.

I have to keep this simple as it will have to work for each entity under the scope of our system.

I am thinking a form would suffice. I will start by defining the criteria in which it would have to be completed
1. gap in competency defined (external training, on the job shadowing, etc.)
2. New equipment or software

I feel I would do something similar to one of my previous employer's, using a form defining learning objectives prior to the training, possibly document a training plan, followed by the employee doing a self evaluation, then manager/lead/supervisor evaluation post training...

Anyone have any thoughts or suggestions?? Much appreciated!

 

The scope is large. As stated on our cert "The design, development, delivery and provision of teaching and learning, research and development, and industry support related to the oceans provincially, nationally and internationally." May sound simple, however under "industry support" we have several "centres" that are basically business within themselves providing an array services to different clients. Anything from testing of fishing gear, development of food products, marine simulation, etc.

NC: There was a minor lapse in ensuring that actions to acquire the necessary competence, and evaluate the effectiveness of the actions taken were not complete.

Note: We have had the same auditor for 20 years. He is kind to the organization.

Correct: alluding to staff, on on the Industry support side, but whatever process I support in developing would be institute wide.

Note: Surprisingly, we do not have a performance evaluation process in place. In addition, depending on the department or centre, competencies are not well defined. Some groups use a training matrix, other only go by job descriptions.

 

Thanks Andy.

On a different note... you said:

How do you use your certification to promote your programs/course? I am with a post secondary institute that offers short course, diploma's, advanced diplomas, degrees, PHD, etc. and there is more of a push lately to use our certification as a promotional piece. From what I understand there are not many post secondary institutes that have a certified system with everything they do under the scope.

 

Many of our course are accredited as well by Transport Canada, DNV, TAC, etc. However, as far as I know, we do not promote our 9001 certification like the others. I have to look into how to do this and what value it adds.

 

Most organizations, naturally, have already a set of competencies and qualifications necessary for each employee position. These are defined in their job qualification criteria, job descriptions, skills matrices, training ladder, etc. This satisfies half of the intention in clause 7.2a. The other half is when additional competence is determined as necessary when:

• new or advance knowledge and skills are needed to accomplish the assigned tasks;
• the results of employee appraisal warrant enhancement of the employee performance;
• a prospective employee needs some form of intervention before deploying to his/her job; or
• the training ladder needs to be implemented for employee promotion.

Acquiring the needed competence to address the above situations will require actions (e.g. training, mentoring, coaching, re-assignment, etc.). The actions, once completed, must be evaluated for effectiveness as per clause 7.2c. As a rule of thumb, for every needed action, after its implementation the standard requires evaluation of effectiveness (e.g. actions to address risks/opportunities, corrective actions).

A simple approach can be adopted to satisfy clause 7.2c. A form with the information below can be devised:

• basis for acquiring the needed competency;
• the identified competency need;
• expected result/s for acquiring the needed competence;
• preferred action to acquire the competence;
• date of the provision of the preferred action;
• target date on when the acquired competence can be demonstrated;
• results of the evaluation of effectiveness after the proposed target date.

 

Thanks Tony! I appreciate how you have laid that out. This gives me a little more direction.