Ongoing Competence Assurance - What does it mean for me?
As a Wood employee you may have undergone some form of competence assessment in the past. The global competence management standard was introduced to ensure that as an organisation we could demonstrate ongoing competence assurance.
For the UK region, ongoing competence assessment will take place annually and reassessment will be about ongoing and continued verification of current skills and ongoing development, reviewing previous assessment to focus on relative change and improvement.
Technical assessments will take place at site and be carried out by an Assessor (Competence Specialist, Supervisor or Nominated Competent Technical Person by exception).
For further information please contact the Skillspool team on SkillsPool@woodplc.com or 01224 851500 option 4 then option 2
Connected Competence
As part of our continuous effort to assure the safety of our workforce, Wood, together with other major UK contractors and the ECITB, has been developing the Connected Competence initiative for the energy industry.
Connected competence promotes employee ownership of skills and competence through the use of standardised training and testing, offering workers the opportunity to showcase and future-proof their skills. The testing ensures workers are demonstrating current and relevant base level technical competence.
From 1 April, 2022, it will be mandatory for transient workers to have attained Connected Competence certification for their relevant work scope activities in order to mobilise with Wood.
The tests and certification are recognised and accepted by Wood and the other contractors involved in Connected Competence which means you will be able to transfer these skills between different employers within the sector.
How does Connected Competence work?
Transient workers are required to undertake competence test(s) for the work scope activities they are mobilised for, which will be valid for 3-4 years, depending on your specialist trade.
When you have successfully completed your test(s), you will be given the relevant certificates and digital badges, which you can share with Wood and any other employers to demonstrate and verify your competence.
You can find out more about the initiative on the Connected Competence website.
Connected Competence FAQs
Why is Wood making Connected Competence mandatory for transient workers?
The safety of our workforce is our priority. Gaining Connected Competence certification ensures you are equipped with the skills to operate with Wood in a safe and competent manner.
I’m time served a long time ago. Why do I need this certification now?
Just because a qualification was achieved many years ago does not mean that person is competent today to carry out work activities. This certification assures you remain current and up to date with your technical knowledge and skills for today’s current work practices.
Which other companies have signed up to Connected Competence?
Aker Solutions, Bilfinger, Petrofac, Ponticelli, Stork and Worley are among the companies that have signed up to Connected Competence. As part of our shared commitment to the initiative, we have all agreed to recognise and accept certification to enable transient workers to transfer between employers with their base competence assured.
How do I find out which test(s) I need to do?
A list of the trades covered are available on the Connected Competence website. You will be able to view the standard industry role profile for your trade. This sets out the knowledge and skills, technical competencies and behaviours that are expected and identifies which test(s) are required to be completed to demonstrate base technical competence.