V.   CRDB Skill-sets and Competencies: A Self-Assessment

5.1       Noting the external organisational studies and the Functional Analysis, the August 2006 staff retreat provided CRDB staff with an opportunity to begin to map their own skills and competencies – based on their own perception – with the tasks assigned to CRDB derived from the Sub Decree and the Strategic Framework for Development Cooperation Management.

5.2       The self assessment asked the staff to assess their competence in core, technical and strategic/management areas identified in Table Two:

Table Two. Self-Assessment of Skills

5.3       Staff were asked to indicate their level of competence on a subjective A-C rating, as well as to indicate where further training was required (including as a priority). The results of the self-assessments are summarised in Table Three, below. The charts graph the self-assessment of competencies by core/technical/strategic skills (left-hand column), and then identify associated priority further training needs.

Table Three. Skills Assessment and Training Needs (August 2006)

5.4       Some points to note that are derived from this self-assessment and from the interviews led by a national human resources expert as part of the diagnostic work used to prepare the Capacity Development Strategy, include the following:

a)   Most staff rate themselves as a B with respect to core skills. Training demands clustered in this skill-set are significantly higher than in the other two clusters, regardless of indicated established competence. Where most staff indicated a 'C', they have also identified these areas as training priorities, demonstrating a willingness to strengthen existing weaknesses.

b)   Language and IT skills, and report-writing abilities are the skills most identified as in need of priority strengthening, although most staff appear to be keen to enhance an already relatively well-established level of competence (e.g. they indicate a competence level of B, but prioritise further training).

c)   Although there are a high number of B and C assessments in the technical category, the demand for training is significantly lower than for core skills. This is somewhat surprising given that expertise in the fundamental work of CRDB (Strategic Framework, Paris Declaration etc) is, by staffs own admission, quite low.

d)   This may indicate a need to build basic core skills before turning to technical skill-sets, however some technical training may be required to establish a critical mass of technical capacity so that CRDB can quickly move to meet its aid management requirements as set out in Sub Decree 147 and the Strategic Framework for Development Cooperation Management.

e)   Staff’s own assessment of their skills, and the nature of the training needs that have been proposed by staff, varies quite considerably across Departments.

f)    There appears to be a greater interest in acquiring strategic and/or management skills, policy analysis and development management in particular. Although these may necessarily presume a certain amount of technical ability before training in these types of skills may be expected to be beneficial, many staff indicated that this type of training, including long-term degree courses, is required.

5.5        The skills profiling and training needs exercise was elaborated during a series of interviews with twenty-four staff. When asked the question “What are your suggestions on actions that CRDB can take to enhance your job performance?”, the respondents gave the following replies, which have been summarised in Table Four, below.

Table Four. Staff Proposals for Improved Job Performance

Note. Staff gave multiple responses (i.e. total not equal to 24)

5.6        It is noteworthy that during the interviews and skills profiling exercises, no CRDB staff member identified increased use of capacity substitution or additional use of advisory support as being a priority in boosting organisational performance or as a capacity building modality. This indicates that CRDB sees the solution to the capacity development challenge as being primarily internal, with external supporting playing a facilitating role, rather than providing direct support or capacity substitution.

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