Training requirement for

ISO 9001:2000
 ISO 9001:2000
Training requirements are about to change dramatically for
most organizations registered to ISO 9001. The change will be
for the better, but it won't come without some planning and
effort. ISO 9001:2000 now mandates that training be based on
competency needs. This requirement goes far beyond that of
the 1994 standard, which stated only that training must be
established. Training needs were often broad-brushed across
entire departments or facilities and were seldom based on
anything remotely resembling the true competency needed to
perform a task or function. The new approach, training based
on competency needs, implies something much more robust.
 What is "competence"?

Competence is defined by ISO 9000:2000 as the

"demonstrated ability to apply knowledge and skills." In
other words, it's the condition that enables a person to carry
out a task in a manner that meets the required performance
standard. ISO 9001:2000 further clarifies the issue by
establishing that competence is the practical application of
four variables: education, training, skills and experience.
The mix of these four variables will obviously differ
depending on the type of job being analyzed. A college
professor's competency needs are overwhelmingly
concentrated around education and training, with relatively
less emphasis on tangible skills and experience. A glass
blower, on the other hand, probably requires a great many
more skills developed through experience. Just as the
college professor and glass blower have drastically different
competency needs, most employees' competencies span a
wide range, depending on the activities being performed.
To be fully effective and useful,
competency requirements should
be:
 Realistic

Competency requirements must reflect the true needs of

the activity being performed. Venerable job descriptions,
although dog-eared and handed down through the years,
may not provide any guidance whatsoever. Go out and
watch the jobs being performed and then talk to the
people performing the jobs and to their supervisors. If
practical, get input from the customer (internal or
external) who receives the job's output. Be careful not to
overstate competency needs; make sure that a job really
requires a college degree and two years of experience
before designating these as competency needs.
 Demonstrable

The person performing the activity must be able to

demonstrate the competencies, particularly as they relate
to skills. This means that the training administrator must
be specific and descriptive when defining competency.
"Excellent communication skills" is very vague. Take this
statement and deconstruct it into its demonstrable
elements: "ability to prepare written reports using
computer word processing programs; ability to prepare
and deliver formal presentations to top management
using audio/visual tools." With clearly demonstrable
competency needs established, it's much easier to
identify gaps.
 Forward-looking

The organization should consider future needs, as

far as they can be predicted, as well as present
needs. This is where training and strategy begin to
intersect. Of course, if strategy hasn't been
communicated throughout the organization, this
intersection will not be possible. (See "Using Quality
Objectives to Drive Strategic Performance
Improvement" in the November 2000 issue of Quality
Digest.) Keep in mind that the forward-looking view
of competence must still be based in reality.
Competency needs probably can't be projected more
than a year into the future and still remain realistic.
 Documented

  ISO 9001:2000 does not specifically require

that competency needs be documented, but
common sense does. Without documentation
of some sort, how will the organization
ensure consistent application and
communication of competencies? Document
control would most certainly apply to
documented competency needs.
 Who needs training?

It's the organization's responsibility to determine the necessary

competence for all of the personnel performing work that affects
quality. ISO 9001:2000 uses the term "personnel performing work
affecting quality," but the standard really doesn't specify which
functions fall into this group. So who, exactly, are we talking about?
Basically, everyone: All functions have the ability to affect quality on
some level. The training administrator must make sure to consider the
full range of personnel performing work affecting quality, including:
   Top management
   Salaried personnel
   Hourly personnel
   Supervisors and managers
   Temporary employees
   Research and technical personnel
   Recent hires
 Fill those gaps

 The ISO 9001:2000 standard requires that the organization "provide

training or take other actions to satisfy these [competency] needs." A
wide range of actions can satisfy gaps in competency, and the action
taken may actually be a combination of individual actions to constitute
training. Examples include:
  On-the-job training
  Classroom training
  Self study (traditional, audio, video and Internet-based)
  Degree and certificate programs through colleges and universities
  Coaching and counseling
  Opportunities to attend seminars and conferences
  Apprenticeship programs
  Assignment of mentors or role models
  Transferring to other jobs in order to gain experience
 Competency-Based
Training System

1. Determine required  competency for each job or

function.
     Education
     Training
     Skills
     Experience
2. Compare individuals to the competency standard.
3a. Take action to close competency gaps.
3b. Train on relevance and importance of activities.
4. Evaluate the effectiveness of training.
5. Maintain records.