Applying the Automation

Competency Model
Taking Advantage of the ACM in
developing the future workforce
Speakers:
Standards
Dean Ford, CAP®, PE
Certification
Education & Training
Publishing
Conferences & Exhibits 2016 ISA Water / Wastewater and Automatic Controls Symposium
August 2-4, 2016 – Orlando, Florida, USA
 Presenter

• Career built upon using Automation to deliver

cost effectiveness in operations
• Certified Automation Professional®
• Licensed Control System Engineer in 15 states
• 20+ years of pushing automation to deliver its
maximum value to organizations
• Active Promoter of the Profession
• Senior Member of ISA

2016 ISA WWAC Symposium

Aug 2-4, 2016 – Orlando, Florida, USA 2
 Presentation Outline

• What is the ACM?

– Why is it needed?
– Who developed it?
– How is it maintained?
– How can you provide input?
• Applying the ACM
– How to use it to develop the new Automation Workforce
– How can you use it personally
– How can your organization apply it
• Practical Approach
– How to approach your management
– How to develop job descriptions
– How to obtain a seat at the decision making table
2016 ISA WWAC Symposium
Aug 2-4, 2016 – Orlando, Florida, USA 3
 What is the Automation Competency Model

• Market Study by ISA – No one knows us!!!!!

• What are we going to do about it? First Define
• Developed with US Dept of Labor in 2009
• Defines the Profession of Automation
• A team of industry experts developed it with facilitation
from US DOL.
• Every 3 years, at team is assembled to update the model
• Contact Mike Marlowe, Automation Federation Managing
Director, mmarlowe@automationfederation.org

2016 ISA WWAC Symposium

Aug 2-4, 2016 – Orlando, Florida, USA 4
 What is the Automation Competency Model
http://www.careeronestop.org/CompetencyModel/competency-models/automation.aspx

2016 ISA WWAC Symposium

Aug 2-4, 2016 – Orlando, Florida, USA 5
 What is the Automation Competency Model

• Hover over a box of the pyramid in your browser

2016 ISA WWAC Symposium

Aug 2-4, 2016 – Orlando, Florida, USA 6
 What is the Automation Competency Model

• Click on the box of a Pyramid in your browser

2016 ISA WWAC Symposium

Aug 2-4, 2016 – Orlando, Florida, USA 7
 Applying the ACM

The model is used to:

• Support Curriculum Development
• Help Veterans map existing skills into Automation Skills,
identify gaps (Military Occupational Codes)
• Reflect the knowledge and skills needed by today's
automation professionals.
• Clarify several key critical work functions and their
competencies.

2016 ISA WWAC Symposium

Aug 2-4, 2016 – Orlando, Florida, USA 8
 Applying the ACM

Personal Use
• Use for Career path mapping
– Do you want to become a Technical Guru, Project Manager or
People Manager
• Where should you spend time developing new skills?
• What skills should you develop?

2016 ISA WWAC Symposium

Aug 2-4, 2016 – Orlando, Florida, USA 9
 Applying the ACM

Organizational Use
• Recruiting
– Better and more uniform Job Definitions and Skill identification
leading to improved and consistent candidate identification
• Classification
– Standard language for Job Classifications
• Job Descriptions
– Standard templates provided for Job Descriptions
• Performance Reviews
– Clear and Consistent measurement against common industry
accepted skills and requirements
• Training Plan Development
– Standardized training requirements and justifications
2016 ISA WWAC Symposium
Aug 2-4, 2016 – Orlando, Florida, USA 10
 Practical Approach

How do you start a conversation?

• Does your organization have a Job Description that

fits what you do?
• How do they recruit staff to work in your group?
• Is there a succession plan? Can you be promoted?
• Does Automation have a part in every project executed
by your company? Or is it an afterthought leaving you to
pick up the pieces?
• Do you have a seat at the table of decision makers?

2016 ISA WWAC Symposium

Aug 2-4, 2016 – Orlando, Florida, USA 11
 Practical Approach

Get a mini MBA degree specific to your organization

• Understand how your company/organization accounts
for projects, revenue, and expenses
• How is ROI calculated?
• Now show them how Automation ensures cost
reductions, enhances operations, reduces risks,
increases reliability
• Build your personal brand

2016 ISA WWAC Symposium

Aug 2-4, 2016 – Orlando, Florida, USA 12
 Practical Approach

Every Automation Professional should read and

understand the true VALUE OF AUTOMATION

Dr. Peter Martin’s Books

• “The Value of Automation” ISA 2015
• “Bottom Line Automation” ISA 2006

Start a Conversation

2016 ISA WWAC Symposium

Aug 2-4, 2016 – Orlando, Florida, USA 13
 A Vision / Challenge for All of us

We can minimize total cost of

ownership of automation systems
and the unit costs of operations
while simultaneously increasing our
customer service levels and
lowering risk.

2016 ISA WWAC Symposium

Aug 2-4, 2016 – Orlando, Florida, USA 14
 A Vision / Challenge for All of us

Information-Driven, Real-Time
Decision-Making
To do this, we must use information-driven,
real-time decision-making made possible
through the integration of systems,
technologies and business processes. If an
automated process or data transfer can be
done, then we must justify it and execute it.

2016 ISA WWAC Symposium

Aug 2-4, 2016 – Orlando, Florida, USA 15
 A Vision / Challenge for All of us

Elevate the Human

We must minimize human interaction in
“running the plant”. We must remove
requirements for human interaction from our
process control and routine operations. We
must elevate Human Involvement to solving
problems and making improvements.

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Aug 2-4, 2016 – Orlando, Florida, USA 16
 Resources
Important References

• International Society of Automation (www.isa.org)

• Automation Federation (www.automationfederation.org)
– Automation Competency Model for Workforce Development
• Competency Model Clearing House
(www.careeronestop.org/CompetencyModel/)

• Dean Ford, CAP, PE

– 443-876-5217
– Dean.Ford@we-inc.com

2016 ISA WWAC Symposium

Aug 2-4, 2016 – Orlando, Florida, USA