Competency and sniff test

Competency. It has a a value determined by the motivation of the entity offering the term. The client requires a level of competency in order to assure that personnel on the project are "certified" capable to perform their tasks safely and competently. Their arse is thus covered. The ROV company employs personnel to the client and has a dilemma. In order to get the contract he must supply documentation to the client of offered Personnel Competence. But here is his dilemma : Whatever level of competence he submits for a given employee he must pay that employee at that level. If he has an employee getting paid at Level B but the job requires a competence at Level A he can find the means to elevate the employee to the new competency level but must then pay him at the new rate. Employers use competency as a carrot and a stick. They can set an impossible standard to get certified at next level, thus keeping the pay rate for a given employee at current level. They can use the threat of "not signing the check off" as punishment or retribution. The award of competency (waive a requirement for example) can be a perc of the Good Ol Boy system or simply a need to fill a spot that satisfies the client requirement.

When things get busy and there is a need for agency personnel on a limited and temporary basis the positions that have been filled by "certified competent" personnel are often filled by personnel whose competency is verified only by the providing agency. hahahahahaha

A third party offering a "standard of competency" must be viewed with the profit motivation : By getting the industry to accept this standard the third party can then sell the means to attain the proposed standard of competency. This competency award is entirely dependent on testimony from others who, at the end of the day, are motivated to provide a signature for verification of a competency item for a variety of motivations — some less than altruistic.

Competency. When this word is used in the ROV industry, check the source and give a good sniff test. Unlike other technical professions — say commercial diving or airline pilot — the ROV biz has no requirement for an agreed upon standard of competency from a recognized authority.