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Skills common to different trades or economic sectors

How can they be pinpointed?
A few years ago, we tended above all to present our occupation – the sugar trade – in terms of how it differed from other occupations. We are proud of our trade, and rightly so.

Nevertheless, this approach needs to be altered somewhat if we wish to home in on skills that might be common to different trades or economic sectors.

Let us begin with two straightforward examples on which work has been done in France:

1. Concerning skills common to different economic sectors :

a) Skills related to the operation of packaging machines:

Are the key skills for a sugar packaging machine operator so different from those needed to operate other packaging machines, e.g. for fresh dairy products, pharmaceuticals or cosmetics?
Whereas skills related to food hygiene regulations may be specific to the food industries and less relevant to other types of packaging, and whereas product knowledge is totally specific, the other skills (i.e. roughly 80% of the skills) can be said to be identical.

These are in particular cross-cutting skills such as:

• Completing documents,
• Communicating,
• Assessing information,
• Understanding and monitoring activity indicators,
• Maintaining equipment in working order,
• Assessing quality and conformity,
• Identifying, diagnosing and dealing with a defect, malfunction or risk,
• Evaluating the urgency of an action.

b) Skills related to the operation of manufacturing processes :

Likewise, are the key skills for a sugar manufacturing process operator (or driver) so different from those related to the operation of other processes (manufacturing of dairy products/chocolate; water distribution network, etc.).
By observing the skills required for the various process operating jobs we can ascertain the following:
In this case, the skills related to the product, and to the different manufacturing phases, are quite distinct.
However, we note that other skills are absolutely identical, certainly in a smaller proportion than in the example of a packaging machine operator, but they are roughly 50% the same.

The cross-cutting skills identified are in particular:

• Completing documents,
• Communicating,
• Regulating the process,
• Identifying the manufacturing process (even if the process is different, the ability to understand the different phases is an identical skill),
• Assessing information,
• Understanding and monitoring activity indicators,

Assessing quality and conformity

2. Concerning skills common to different trades within the same sector :

By observing the skills required for different trades within the same sector it is possible to home in on those that are common or cross-cutting.
If we confine ourselves to the two examples above (for which only some of the skills have been set out in a non-exhaustive list), we can immediately see that some skills recur (perhaps to varying degrees, but on a common basis):

• Completing documents,
• Communicating,
• Assessing information,
• Understanding and monitoring activity indicators,
• Assessing quality and conformity,
• etc.

An assessment of these cross-cutting skills enables us at the same time to identify the skills specific to each trade and to assess the knowledge gaps needing to be plugged for an employee wishing to transfer from one job to another.

This approach makes it possible to create mobility areas, i.e. to gradually prepare employees, who are professionals in their own jobs, to move towards occupying different posts.

This approach also makes it possible to model gateways.

According to Observia (the French think-tank on food industry trades and skills):
A gateway determines the possibilities of moving from one trade to another. In effect, common skills exist between certain trades which do not involve retraining.

• A short gateway corresponds to a short adaptation time in the field and a short training period. Beyond that, it is more of a change of job or speciality within the same trade.
• A long gateway presupposes an investment in theoretical training, usually undertaken before mobility. Beyond that, it would be more a question of retraining.

Observia: http://www.observia-metiers.fr/

An initial inventory:
(This is a repeat of the first part of the section “Skills currently required in the sugar industry”) :

1.4 - Basic skills
1.4.1 Reading,
1.4.2 Writing
1.4.3 Numeracy
1.4.4 Completing documents
1.4.5 Communication

These basic skills cut across all trades in the sugar industry. The level required varies according to the position held.

Completing documents may range from simply entering data (on paper or into a computer) gathered in order to improve the traceability of operations (machine operator) through to drafting reports or technical documents (maintenance technician).

Communication may extend from simply reformulating an instruction (packaging or process operator) to delivering an oral report on an action (maintenance technician), through to issuing instructions (supervisor).

1.5- Cross-cutting skills (common to different trades and different periods – during and outside of the sugar crop year)

1.5.1 Assessing information, understanding and monitoring activity indicators within one’s own sphere of responsibility
Based on information gathered from measuring instruments (packaging machine operators) or computer screens (process operator), the level required is linked to the scope of the responsibility involved (e.g. one or more machines, one or more stages of the manufacturing process).

1.5.2 Maintaining equipment in working order (machine operators)
From first-level maintenance (packaging machine operator or manufacturing process operator) to preventive maintenance operations, predictive maintenance outside the sugar crop year or corrective maintenance during the crop year (maintenance staff or maintenance technicians), as well as being able to operate the machinery in downgraded mode or at reduced speeds in safety mode.

1.5.3 Assessing quality and conformity (visual acuity, good hearing)
This is the ultimate example of a cross-cutting skill, as the quality of the finished product is dependent on each stage of the manufacturing, packaging and dispatch process (raw material, products, packages).
An assessment of quality and conformity may be based on a visual inspection but may also call for the interpretation of data gathered throughout the process. Monitoring product conformity and traceability – familiarity with procedures, operating modes, instructions, directions and records kept.

1.5.4 Identifying, diagnosing and dealing with a defect, malfunction or risk
The precision involved in identifying a defect, malfunction or risk increases in line with the responsibilities associated with the position held (processing a simple defect by reacting in the way described in a procedures manual, via processing a simple defect not described in a procedures manual or implementing a temporary solution, through to a more complicated maintenance or planning action. Adhering to standards of tidiness and cleanliness – taking part in diagnostic-testing for maintenance purposes).

1.5.5 Evaluating the urgency of an action (external to the work station, depending on the degree of seriousness involved)
This involves the job-holder’s judgement in making a distinction between dealing with a defect, malfunction or risk, and making a decision to resort to higher-level action within a time-scale compatible with the functioning of the working environment.