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Analyzer Technician
TSSB-Recognized Skill Standards
October 20, 2009
Background
The Analyzer Technician competency model was
developed by the Analyzer Technician
Opportunities Project (ATOP) and Lee College,
and funded by a grant from the National
Science Foundation. ATOP worked with national
industry experts and representatives from the
Analysis Division of the International Society
of Automation (ISA), as well as several
Texas-based subject matter experts in the
development and validation of the
model’s content.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s
Employment and Training Administration’s
(ETA) Career OneStop website, which offers
career and job search advice and information,
promotes the competency model format. As part
of the Industry Competency Model Initiative,
the ETA and industry partners collaborate to
develop and maintain dynamic models of the
foundation and technical competencies that are
necessary in economically vital industries and
sectors of the American economy. The goal of
the effort is to promote an understanding of
the skill sets and competencies that are
essential to educate and train a globally
competitive workforce.
The models serve as a resource to inform
discussions among industry leaders, educators,
economic developers, and public workforce
investment professionals as they collaborate
to:
-
Identify
specific employer skill needs
-
Develop
competency-based curricula and training
models
-
Develop
industry-defined performance indicators,
skill standards, and
certifications
-
Develop
resources for career exploration and
guidance
Comparing a Competency Model with a Skill
Standard
While the format and organization of
information within a competency model are
different, the content of the competency model
is the same as the content of a skill
standard.
The lowest level tiers of a competency model
(Personal Effectiveness and Academic and
Workplace Competencies) compare most closely
to the TSSB’s Academic and Employability
Knowledge and Skills element. A skill standard
seeks to define how each academic or
employability skill relates to the particular
occupation by having experts give a numeric
rating of the skill’s complexity in each
critical work function. Rather than a rating,
the competency model gives a full, itemized
definition and examples of what the occupation
expects in terms of each type of
competency.
The mid-level tiers of a competency model
(Industry-Wide Technical Competencies and
Industry-Specific Technical Competencies)
compare most closely to the TSSB’s
work-oriented elements of Critical Work
Functions, Key Activities, and Performance
Criteria. The nomenclature of the elements is
different, but the expected content –
defined major job functions, the tasks
associated with fulfilling the job function,
and applicable codes, standards, or
regulations (performance criteria) – is
included. These same tiers also include
Occupational Skills, Knowledge, and Conditions
elements, but do not associate them with each
specific Key Activity in which a worker relies
on them.
The highest level – and by definition,
most job-specific – tiers of a
competency model are the Occupation-Specific
Knowledge Areas, Technical Competencies and
Requirements, as well as Management
Competencies. The data for these tiers come
directly from O*Net, which defines the key
features of over 800 occupations, but which
are presented as standardized sets of
variables.
Importance to Texas
General employment data is not available to
determine the number of analyzer technicians,
or the number of instrumentation technicians
who perform analyzer technician duties. A poll
of seven Texas employers reported an average
process plant with 25 instrumentation
technicians will have an additional 10-15
analyzer technicians – generally
dedicated to analyzer maintenance and
generally company employees supplemented with
service contractors. Due to their experience
level and technical specialization, analyzer
technicians earn an hourly rate between $22.00
and $28.99 depending on the nature of the
work.
The more experienced instrumentation and
control technicians generally perform the
analyzer technician duties. This group of
experts makes up an age demographic that
suggests that 50-70% of its population is
eligible for retirement in the next 5-10
years.
While most skill standards recognized by the
TSSB encompass all of the technical work
competencies that can be attained in a
Certificate (Level II) or Associate’s
Degree, the Analyzer Technician model is
unique. In order to gain the analyzer
competencies, a student or a worker must
already possess the competencies of an
Industrial Instrumentation and Control
Technician. Therefore, this model would most
likely be used by community and technical
colleges as the basis for an Advanced
Certificate, with Instrumentation as a
prerequisite.
TSSB Recognition
The TSSB recognized the Analyzer Technician
competency model as skill standards at its
October 20, 2009 meeting.
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