Personnel continuing at their existing grade and level of work may understandably ask MTCS if they need to re-validate their Certificate of Competence and if they are required to repeat the process and submit a Portfolio of Evidence?
The method to re-validate one’s certificate depends on the assessment/verification method by which an individual was originally awarded their certificate at the specific grade.
With MTCS as the certificate awarding organisation, there are two assessment/verification processes that may have been used to gain the first certificate at the grade:
Grade Assessment (GA)
If this process has been used to achieve the original certificate, then the individual will have undergone assessment in the workplace. Typically, this is done over a period of time from 6 to 12 months. The individual is required to compile a personal ‘Portfolio of Evidence’ that documents their performance in the role.
Evidence is required to confirm someone is competent in safety critical, operational and, where applicable, technical activities and can include:
- Observation records
- Answering questions (an assessment of your knowledge)
- Activities such as manufacturing, maintaining or repairing equipment
- Supporting written evidence – a report perhaps
- Witness statements (completed by a reliable colleague or manager)
- Appraisals completed by supervisors and managers
- Log book pages, survival and medical certificates
- Feedback from your Assessor
- Photographs and videos of the person undertaking activities and tasks
In order to recertify, and providing they have continually worked in the role since being previously awarded their certificate, they may submit the following:
- A witness statement
- Copies of 2 appraisals undertaken within the last 18 months
- Valid/current survival and medical certificates
Individual Competence Assessment (ICA)
The Individual Competence Assessment process allows individuals to certify in the role in which they currently work and have done for at least the last 12 months.
The ICA requires less evidence than the Grade Assessment, and is suited to personnel who are content to remain in the role that they currently work.
In order to recertify in this role, they must complete another Individual Competence Assessment, in full, in 3 years’ time.
Further Considerations
The most important consideration to take into account when awarding a Certificate of Competence is that it has only been awarded on the basis of submission of sufficient, valid and authentic evidence that clearly shows the individual is competent against industry guidelines and standards.
Whilst both methods mentioned above do this, the Grade Assessment provides sufficient evidence to allow MTCS to recertify individuals on the basis of a Witness Statement from an employer or agency. It clearly shows that the individual has, at some point, undergone workplace assessment over a significant period of time.
The Individual Competence Assessment (ICA) provides evidence of experience and is effectively a ‘lighter’ assessment.
It only requires a Witness Statement, appraisal, short written assignment, copies of logbooks and survival/medical certification.
In order to recertify we require individuals who were originally certified in this way to re-submit this evidence (i.e. complete another full ICA) if they wish to recertify.
The Value of Competence
Our clients recognise that the value MTCS provides is that Certificates of Competence have been awarded solely on the basis of assessment and verification processes of the highest quality and unquestionable independence.
It is important that our clients are confident that the process by which their personnel are awarded certificates will stand-up to rigorous audits and inspections that they may be subjected to.
Having a robust process in place for awarding Certificates of Competence is also an essential part of the Risk Management process and is effectively an audit of personnel who work on safety critical projects in the offshore energy industry.
Grandfather and Acquired Rights
MTCS are aware that many personnel may suggest that their ‘Grandfather rights’ are sufficient and therefore a Certificate of Competence does not apply to them.
The subject of ‘grandfather’ or ‘acquired rights’ typically arises when there is a change in legislation, legal requirements, or approved processes and procedures that affects experienced personnel already working within a role in the industry.
In some industries (UK road haulage, for example) these rights are occasionally granted when changes in legal requirements mean many people have to re-qualify to achieve the new qualification.
The argument is that these individuals may already have considerable experience standing in their favour, and the extensive administrative impact would make the application unworkable and/or prohibitively expensive.
The obvious risk in granting acquired rights is that individuals may not actually be as competent as they ought to be or believe they are – length of time in a role does not equate to competence.
The quality and suitability of acquired rights was questioned some years ago by major oil companies who, quite rightly, considered this ‘broad brush’ approach to be based on too many assumptions and introduced scope for dangerous working practices to go unchecked.
MTCS took on board this industry feedback and worked with a number of these organisations to establish a more robust, impartial and independent method of certifying competence that is used today and recognised across the global offshore energy and maritime industry.
Contacting the MTCS Support Team
If you would like to discuss your Grade Assessment or Individual Competence Assessment certificate re-validation on a one-to-one basis, then our team here in the UK are happy to advise and support where needed.
In the first instance, email enquiries@mtcs.info with your query. If you can indicate in the Subject field of your email what your enquiry concerns then we can ensure the appropriate member of our team can help:
GA Re-validation Support for Grade Assessment queries
ICA Re-validation Support for Individual Competence Assessment queries
