Some organisations attract staff because of their reputation for getting people through the APC/ATC.

It could be argued that their culture was based on competence. 

You might work for such an organisation, and if you were asked about the competence of your trainee, you might refer me to your training department at head office. 

If pressed, you would be able to express a view. Some of you are struggling to run a small business with one trainee. 

You don’t have time to think about competence either, but again, if pressed, you would be able to express a view.

Perhaps competence is in your culture after all. 

Most of us operate within a competency-based culture, but we may not think about it. 

Our clients, and those that we work with, expect us to be competent in what we do, but how do we prove it? 

And what do we mean by “competent”? This article is intended to help you see the link between what you do, and the competency based assessment that you carry out with your APC/ATC candidate in your role as Supervisor or Counsellor. 

Think of the APC/ATC requirements as a checklist of what we need to be able to do to operate effectively (and competently) as chartered surveyors. 

Think of the APC/ATC procedures as an aid to effective (and competent) management.

When you allocate tasks, and when you have the time for reflection, you are judging your trainee’s performance (or lack of progress) against your own mental check list. 

Hopefully you discover the shortcomings before your trainee involves you in damage limitation. 

But RICS has provided you with a real checklist of what you need your people to know and what they need to be able to do. 

It's called the Pathway Guide (see www.rics.org/pathway).

RICS has also devised a framework for allowing you to be more explicit and informed when you judge your candidate. 

It's called the Structured Training Framework.

You assess competence before your trainee registers for the APC/ATC, and every three months thereafter until final assessment. 

Your trainee can’t go to final assessment until you certify that they are competent so that RICS can ratify your professional opinion.

If everyone takes advantage of the APC/ATC procedures (which mirror the principles of staff development) then competency is in your culture. 

Your trainee is relating the tasks that you set to individual competencies. 

Your trainee should also be developing their competency - based knowledge through lifelong learning and structured reading. 

You are thinking about competence when you allocate tasks. 

At each quarterly review, you assess whether or not your trainee has lived up to your expectations, and taken advantage of the experience that you are offering. 

You also test their 'up-to-date and developing knowledge of (relevant) legal and technical matters' as stated in the Candidate’s Guide.

By implementing your Structured Training procedures, you are reminding yourself and your trainee about competence. 

Those APC/ATC procedures become the management tool that it was designed to be. 

The APC/ATC competency requirements reassure you and your clients and colleagues that you are effective in the work place, and your trainee is becoming a credit to your management skills, your encouragement, and your example.

View advice on other topics at www.rics.org/alanmelvin.

Members in Scotland can contact Alan Melvin at RTAScotland@ricsonline.org. Others should contact their local RICS regional training advisor.