Credentials

Know Your Stuff? Share Your Stuff!

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It seems to be a fairly simple concept – effective training should be provided by Subject Matter Experts (SMEs).  They bring knowledge, expertise and, most importantly, credibility to the topic at hand.  They also bring ‘real world’ experience that should help to bridge the knowledge gap for learners that can, sometimes, be pretty vast between the discussion of theory and the application of that theory.

SME acrostic - Subject Matter Expert
Source: Constantin Stanciu/Shutterstock

Using an obvious example, if a trainer was hired to teach trainees how to play hockey, they would have to show people how to skate, pass the puck, and handle the stick.  An effective trainer would not be someone who could just ‘talk’ about these skills or describe how to play the game. They would actually need to be a skilled hockey player themselves and be able to share what it feels like to learn and perform at a high level of expertise.

This concept seems to be taking hold in formal training processes, including post-secondary learning organizations.  It is not enough for a professor to provide theory, they must be able to bring some subject matter expertise into classroom learning in order for students to make the link between theory and ‘real world’ application.

A recent article in The Globe & Mail, highlights the effective use of subject matter experts in traditional business school environments.

Click Here to Read the Article

This article brings forth the wonderful opportunity that business executives can bring to formal learning settings.  It also presents the changing perspective that not all knowledge should be vested in one person at the front of the classroom in a formal learning organization.  It is clear that the more we can bring in the expertise of others into the creation of effective training models, the richer the shared learning becomes for everyone.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Thinking about your own learning experiences, how did you learn to drive a vehicle?
    • What theoretical concepts did you have to learn?
    • What were the practical steps that you had to learn in order to actually drive the vehicle?
    • Who taught you how to drive a vehicle and what expertise did they bring to that learning process for you?
  2. Have you been inspired by any SMEs during the course of your program studies? Who were they and why were they inspirational?
  3. Why does ‘real world’ application matter for effective training and learning?

Education, Skills and Experience – Willing to Relocate?

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Maybe Not!

Source: Slavoljub Pantelic/Shutterstock
Source: Slavoljub Pantelic/Shutterstock

It seems to be a ridiculous notion, that, by having to move from one location to another, one might become less valuable in the economic marketplace.  This concept becomes even more ridiculous when considering the level of highly competent individuals who have worked diligently to earn formal professional credentials and carry with them years of professional training, expertise, and experience.  Yet, when these highly competent and trained individuals move from their home location to a new part of Canada, this is exactly what happens.

A recent report, Brain Gain 2015: The State of Canada’s Learning Recognition System issued by the Conference Board of Canada focuses on this issue.

Click Here to Read the Full Report

Click Here to Read a Summary Article

As noted in this article, Canadian workers stand to gain billions of dollars in economic gains should provinces recognize formal accreditation, training, and standards acquired from different places around the world.  When Canadian workers gain economically, there is a direct connection to the Canadian economy gaining as a whole.  However, this seems to be an untapped area of possibilities and opportunities.

This lack of recognition of credentials and learned expertise is not a new concept.  We see, hear, and read numerous accounts about the loss of employment credentials particularly focused on internationally trained immigrants coming to Canada.  There are numerous stories of dedicated and trained professionals landing in Canada who end up taking employment opportunities well below their career capacities.

What is not often highlighted, however, is the notion of province to province employment migration resulting in a similarly significant potential loss of credential recognition.

As Human Resources professionals, we too must face this challenge.  For those of us practicing in Ontario, we are able to earn credentials through the Human Resources Professionals Association resulting in one of three Canadian designations; CHRP, CHRL or CHRE.  Other provinces have their own credentialing bodies or professional association requirements.

It would certainly be a shame to lose the credibility of these earned credentials if one moved from Ontario to another province or vice versa.  Should fully trained, competent Human Resources professionals with years of experience, knowledge, expertise, and credentials expect to lose economically when transferring from one province to another?

There does not seem to be any benefit from this potential loss to anyone. The gains, on the other hand, from recognizing what has been legitimately earned seem to be significant.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Would you move to another location/country for work purposes if you knew your earned credentials or learned experience would not be recognized?
  2. How would provincial economies benefit from recognizing external credentials?
  3. Why do you think out of province and/or out of country credentials are not recognized?
  4. What is the value of learned experience from your perspective?
  5. Would you rather get advice from an HR professional who has ‘education’ credentials and ‘minimal’ experience or from an HR Professional who has years of experience and ‘minimal’ credentials?