ASSESSMENT OF CONSTRUCTION SECTOR WORKERS COMPETENCIES AND QUALIFICATIONS

CERTIFICATION SCHEME OF CONSTRUCTION WORKERS

ND-KVT-5

   1. General matters
1. This certification scheme was developed and owned by the Lithuanian Builders Association (LSA).
2. The LSA carries out competence assessment (certification) activities and does not transfer the decision-making rights regarding certification to other organizations.
3. The document defines the procedure for assessment and approval of construction workers' competencies (certification of persons).
4. This document has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of LST EN ISO / IEC 17024: 2012.

   2. Scope of the document
5. The certification scheme applies to the individual competencies of construction workers, which are specified in the document ND-KVT-4 and are published in the section Competencies assessment and approval (certification) of statreg.lt.
6. Competences are grouped into areas and, for the convenience of users, are linked to one or more Level II-V qualifications for construction workers as defined in the Professional Standard PSF01 for the Construction Sector [11].
7. Areas of competence for the convenience of users are linked STR 1.06.01 Construction work in defined areas of construction work.
8. This certification scheme sets out the requirements for the competencies of construction workers and specifies the methods by which these competencies can be demonstrated, assessed and validated.

  3. Normative references and definitions used

Documents required for the application of this certification scheme:
9. LST EN ISO / IEC 17024: 2012;
10. LST EN ISO / IEC 17027: 2014;
11. Professional standard PSF01 in the construction sector (draft 30-05-2019);
12. STR 1.06.01: 2016 “Construction works. Building construction supervision ';
13. Government of the Republic of Lithuania 2011 August 24 Resolution no. 986 edition. Description of the Lithuanian Qualifications Framework.

Definitions used in the document:
14. Competence means the demonstrated ability to apply knowledge skills in a particular activity or
to achieve the intended results;
15. Qualification - in accordance with the procedure established by legal acts, the competencies of a person are recognized
or a set of professional experience and available competencies required for a particular activity. A qualification consists of several competencies;
16. Qualification level - as set out in the Annex to the Description of the Lithuanian Qualifications Framework (wording of Resolution No. 986 of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania of 24 August 2011).

   4. Elements of the certification scheme
17. The certification scheme consists of the following elements:
17.1. Job, activity and task descriptions;
17.2. Competence requirements: knowledge and ability requirements;
17.3. Other skills or additional qualifications.

   5. Description of work, activities and tasks
18. Each competency arises from the needs of employers or employees in the market to demonstrate their important competencies. The title of the competence is developed and the description of the competence is prepared in accordance with the classification of construction works established by the Regulation [12], the objects of activity and tasks of the construction standard professional standard PSF01 [11].
19. For the approval of each competency, job descriptions, activities and tasks are defined in the “Requirements Description” according to each possible level as specified in the document ND-KVT-4. Approved competencies and descriptions of their Requirements are published in the Competencies section of statreg.lt.
20. In accordance with the same procedure, the professional experience required for each competence shall be determined and published in accordance with the professional standard PSF01 [11] in the construction sector.

   6. Competence requirements: knowledge and ability requirements
21. According to the job descriptions, activities and tasks as set out in Chapter 5 of this document, the “Requirements Description” for each competency defines the competency and its boundaries according to the professional standard of the Construction sector, taking into account the employee's implied contribution (level) [11].
22. In accordance with the approved knowledge and skills assessment topics (IN-KVT-2), knowledge assessment questions (ND-KVT-7) and skills assessment tasks (ND-KVT-8) are prepared for each competence. The questions are not published, the applicants are introduced only to the topics of the questions. They are published on statreg.lt. Applicants are introduced to the skills assessment tasks during the organization of the assessment.
23. Questions and tasks are constantly updated and supplemented by changes in construction technology, construction products, materials, tools and information technology. The experience gained by STATREG competence assessors is used for improvement.

   7. Other skills or additional qualifications
24. Other skills and additional qualifications may be a prerequisite for the acquisition (validation) of certain competencies. Other abilities and additional qualifications are indicated in the document ND-KVT-4 in the description of each competence and are published in the section Competences of statreg.lt.
25. The Code of Conduct or Professional Ethics does not currently apply to any competence of construction workers.

   8. Requirements for the competence assessment process
26. The following stages are distinguished in the process of competence assessment (ND-KVT-2): Registration of construction sector employees STATREG and registration for competence assessment, organization of competence assessment, assessment of knowledge and abilities, preparation of certification decision, certification decision (competence approval), builder card issuance (ND-KVT-2).
27. Every applicant wishing to acquire an approved competency and a Builder's Card must register in the STATREG system by submitting their data and consent to process it. The applicant must get acquainted with the current procedure, possible competencies and their requirements statreg.lt. Must log in to STATREG and select the desired competence (s) and register for the assessment, sign the contract and wait for the administrator's instructions (ND-KVT-2).
28. The administrator, seeing the wishes and registrations expressed in the system, organizes the assessment, selects the assessors from the approved list who reside or work closer to the assessment place and informs the applicants and assessors about it by e-mail. email or sms as chosen by each person in their account.
29. Knowledge is assessed according to the questions approved for individual competencies (ND-KVT-7). Although questions are drafted with suggested answers, they are essentially open-ended questions and the employee is always asked to provide the arguments and reasons for his or her answer. Knowledge is assessed at the employee's workplace, if this is not possible - at the premises of training or assessment organizations or at practical training places (ND-KVT-6). From the system assigned to each assessee, the assessors select the questions according to all 5 topics and ask (read) the ones they think are the most appropriate. If it is not possible to objectively score answers from a topic, the evaluators ask additional questions from that topic.
30. Abilities are assessed by observing the actions (work) of the employee at his / her workplace, using the usual tools, materials and tools according to the practical tasks approved for each competence (ND-KVT-8). If this cannot be done at his workplace - training is monitored
or in the practical training (assessment) places of assessment organizations using the tools, materials and tools of those organizations (ND-KVT-6). During the follow-up, the evaluators may ask for an explanation of the actions, their causes and possible consequences.
31. The organizers and assessors of the assessment must first make sure that the employee is properly instructed, has occupational safety certificates, if required for such activities, is adequately equipped with occupational safety equipment and only then starts the assessment (ND-KVT-6).
32. Knowledge and skills are assessed by 2 assessors appointed by the STATREG administrators and approved for the area to be assessed. Assessors fill in one protocol (F-KVT-3) in electronic or paper form, present its content and assessment results to the employee for signature (ND-KVT-6).
33. Other staff may be involved in the assessment of knowledge and skills, but they may not advise or assist beyond what is required by the task being performed, which cannot be performed alone. Representatives of trade unions may take part in the assessment.

   9. Requirements for reassessment of competencies
34. Some competencies may have a limited validity in the “Requirements List” (ND-KVT-4), e.g. state-regulated occupational safety qualifications (certificates) or competencies are required for the approval of some competencies.
35. After the expiration of the limited validity, the person shall submit a request to renew the validity of the competence in his / her statreg.lt account. The initial assessment and approval procedure shall apply to the assessment and approval of competence. If the description, title or assessment criteria of the competence have been changed, the provisions and documents of the date of submission of the application shall apply.
36. The builder's card is valid and is changed every 5 years, if at least one person's approved competence is valid at the time of replacement. To change the card, the person submits a request in their statreg.lt account and receives the card within 5 days without additional procedures.
37. Additional competencies are assessed and approved in the same way as new competencies are approved, only the person does not need to re-register and submit his / her personal data. In this case, the person is asked to review and, if necessary, update his or her personal data or additional information.

   10. Competence validity supervision, competency validity (certification) suspension or revocation
38. Supervision of the validity of competencies is not carried out in principle. It is limited to the assessment of information from third parties on the veracity of personal documents and other evidence (facts) submitted to obtain (prove) a person's competence. The document The Process of Receiving, Assessing and Deciding Appeals and Complaints (ND-S-9) is valid.
39. The validity of a competence shall be suspended upon receipt of information that false or falsified documents or other evidence (facts) have been submitted to obtain (prove) the competence. The document The Process of Receiving, Assessing and Deciding Appeals and Complaints (ND-S-9) is valid.
40. After evaluation of the received information, the validity of the competence shall be revoked or the validity of the competence shall be renewed.

   11. Committee on Qualifications and Competences
41. The LSA Council established a Competences and Qualifications Committee composed of representatives of key stakeholders involved in the assessment of competencies in the construction sector (certification bodies, certified persons, users of certified persons' services, employers, other users and public authorities) without any dominance.
42. In addition to the other tasks delegated to the Committee, the Committee shall carry out periodic monitoring and evaluation analysis of this certification scheme.

   12. Review and update of the scheme
43. The LSA shall review this certification scheme every 2 years, adjust as necessary and re-approve without changing the label.
44. Once every 2 years, the appointed STATREG administrator shall interview all approved evaluators for proposals for the improvement of the certification scheme in accordance with the following aspects:
(a) competency requirements for each job, activity or task;
(b) the necessary conditions (experience, education, other qualifications) for establishing the competence of each worker are laid down;
(c) knowledge assessment questions and practical tasks for each competence;
(d) established assessment techniques, their harmonization and their relationship with competence requirements;
(e) evaluation process (practical organization);
(f) requirements and intervals for recertification are established.
45. After receiving and systematizing the results of the survey, the appointed STATREG administrator submits it to the LSA Competences and Qualifications Committee for evaluation. The certification scheme shall be adjusted and re-approved if necessary in the light of the committee's conclusions.