A SAMPLE OF THE NATIONAL OCCUPATIONAL SKILL STANDARD FOR GAS FITTER Malaysia

BRIEF INTRODUCTION ON NATIONAL VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL (NVTC)

The NVTC was established on 2 May 1989 to develop, promote and co-ordinate strategies to ensure that vocational and industrial training programmes were consistent with the growth and development of the nation’s economy. The NVTC was formerly known as the National Industrial Trade Training and Certification Board which was established in 1971.

National Skills Certification began in 1973 in Malaysia. Candidates were awarded Trade Competency Certificates after having passed the national trade test. This certification system was claimed to be rigid and did not provide incentives for individuals to upgrade their skills. On 9 December 1992, the National Skills Certification was restructured from a job-based to occupational-based certification to award the Malaysian Skills Certificate and Achievement Statement. The Malaysian Skills Certificate consists of three levels of competency for an occupation; Levels 1, 2 and 3. This change paved the beginning of a more flexible certification system.

An accreditation system was also established to accredit organisations (embracing public and private training organisations, companies/industries which have in-house training) which fulfil criteria to train and certify skill workers. Examiners are appointed and certified by the NVTC to continuously assess trainees’ skill achievements in a particular vocation. In the accreditation system, appointed Internal Verifiers from the training institution/establishment would verify that the Examiner fulfils all evaluation specifications specified by NVTC. The External Verifiers, from other institutions/establishments, are entrusted with the responsibility to ensure that Internal Verifiers fulfil evaluation specifications specified by NVTC.

National Occupational Skill Standard (NOSS)

The NOSS explains the process in which the skill standard is determined. NOSS provides a definition of the occupation, a DACUM chart which defines the duties performed and all its related tasks, and a Training Profile which described the steps and enabling requirements. A sample of the NOSS for Gas Fitter is attached.

AN EXEMPLAR CURRICULUM - NOSS FOR GAS FITTER

1 Development of the NOSS

1.1 The NOSS is a document which defines competencies that are required by an employee in a skill occupation. All the competencies specified in the NOSS will be assessed based on the individual employee’s competence in performing related skills at the acceptable level.

1.2 The skill standard is developed by involving experts from industries (public and private) and personnel from training agency/institution who have relevant occupational experience in the related areas. Its development comprises two stages:

· Stage One involves eight to ten people from industries which are invited to participate in the development of the skill standards. Participants meet for two or three days to prepare a framework for the standards which is arranged in the form of a chart. This chart comprises two important components, ie duty and task. Subsequently the chart is circulated among related industries to obtain their views.

· Stage Two members are from the Stage One committee and personnel from training agency/institution. They meet for four to five days. At this stage, the chart which states the duty and task is deliberated in detail. Every task consists of terminal performance objectives (TPO), steps, enabling requirements, tools and equipment.

2 The National Skill Standard Format

2.1 The National Skill Standard document consists of the following:

· Title
· Occupational Definition
· Chart which specifies duties and tasks
· Tables which consist of terminal objectives, tools and equipment

2.2 Every standard document formulated consists of the related occupational definition. If suitable, the occupational definition will be based on the Dictionary of Occupational Classification (DOC) prepared by the Department of Human Resources. There are two occupational definitions for every standard, namely:

· Definition of occupation for gas fitter which relates to skills at Levels 1 and 2
· Definition of occupation for supervisor/technician which relates to skills at Level 3

2.3 A particular standard consists of a group of duties which reflect the skill units-in the related standard and its duties are not necessarily related to each other. Every duty consists of a group of tasks. Stating of the tasks is based on the following:

· It consists of action verb and objects which will receive the action
· It must be clear and precise
· It must consist of one or more qualifiers

3 Levels in the National Skill Standard

3.1 This standard document consists of Levels 1, 2 and 3. These levels are closely related to the National Skill Certification System. In other words, an individual who has achieved Level 1 competency will be awarded the Malaysian Skill Standard Level 1, and so on.

3.2 Clarification for the three levels is as follows:

Level 1
Competent in performing a group of duties at this level for a related occupation. The competencies described at this level are routine and predictable.

Level 2
Competent in performing a group of duties at this level. Some of the competencies described at this level are not routine in nature and are performed in various work situations which require individual responsibility and autonomy.

Level 3
Competent in performing a group of duties at this level. The competencies described at this level encompass a wider group of duties performed in various work situations and are not routine in nature. Elements of responsibility and autonomy are evident, besides providing control and supervision to others.

3.3 For Level 3 especially, the skill contents which are available in this document encompass only the technical skills. Supervisory skills which are required for this level are not included in this document but are specified separately.

4 Approval from the Standard and Certification Committee

4.1 This document has been approved by the Standard and Certification Committee of the National Vocational Training Council at a meeting held on 28 April 1994.

Director General
National Vocational Training Council
Ministry of Human Resources Malaysia
KUALA LUMPUR

OCCUPATIONAL DEFINITION FOR GAS FITTER

A Gas Fitter will undertake the safe installation and maintenance works of internal (Domestic, Industrial and Commercial) and external (Distribution) pipes and related facilities, attend to emergency situations which involve gas leakage and exercise customer relations.

Particularly in areas as follows:

· Applies safety rules and regulations and responds to emergencies
· Uses appropriate tools and equipment
· Reads, interprets, prepares basic designs and drawing
· Selects and prepares materials
· Installs internal piping facilities and associated equipment
· Installs gas appliances, meters and regulators
· Installs venting systems
· Performs maintenance and inspection works
· Dismantles and modifies piping systems
· Services and repairs meters and regulators
· Practices good work ethics
· Lays and maintains non-metallic pipes
· Installs and maintains tankage and related facilities

OCCUPATIONAL DEFINITION FOR GAS FITTING TECHNICIAN

A Gas Fitting Technician will undertake supervision of the safe installation and maintenance works of internal (Domestic, Industrial and Commercial) and external (Distribution) pipes on fitting of gas piping and related facilities, attend to emergency situations which involve gas leakage and exercise customer relations.

Particularly in areas as follows:

· Prepares estimations required for projects
· Prepares project plans and schedules
· Submits design drawing to authorities
· Determines the availability of materials and vendor
· Tests completed installation works
· Mobilises and demobilises appliances and materials
· Performs final commissioning of the system
· Supervises construction and erection (civil and electrical) work

SAMPLE OF TRAINING PROFILE FOR GAS FITTER