Competencies can deepen or weaken over time

Everyone knows that as someone uses a skill that they have learned, they will increase the level of skill that they have. Competency also increases as competency is the application of that skill. The Learning Curve builds up the level of skill and competency the more the skill is used.??

The converse is true also: if you don't use a skill it will go rusty.?The concept of Ebbinghaus’s forgetting curve is well known in L&D circles. It’s the curve that shows how information is lost to the memory over time when that information is not used or reinforced. This information can be learning, and as learning commonly underpins skill and competency level, the forgetting curve impacts these too. ?

As a manager are you able to visualise and see how your team’s competencies are being strengthened or being forgotten? How can you gain assurance that the level of competency they have previously demonstrated is still valid? ?

This is why Continuous Professional Development (CPD) is important in many functions and roles. CPD includes on-the-job use of knowledge and skills, learning new skills, developing deeper understanding and applying it competently and keeping up to date with changes affecting a function. ?

eSQEP, our competency management and skills matrix app, can help your teams show how their training and CPD activities support their competency levels.?eSQEP?will provide you with dashboards and data showing you what skills exist in your business and assist your managers make resourcing and project assignment decisions.?