Competency based assessment has a long history going back to the days when trade apprentices undergo a long period of training and tutelage until their master is satisfied that the apprentice is competent and ready to “graduate”.

Today’s competency based assessment is the basis for certification of competency and therefore carried out as a process to collect evidence about the performance and knowledge of a person with regard to a competency skill or standard.

Competency based assessments ultimate aim is to allow the assessor (trainer, teacher or “master”) to decide whether the person being assessed is competent or not-yet-competent.


The Collection of Evidence in competency based assessments usually involves a combination of the following methods of assessment:

i.	Multiple choice;
ii.	Short answers/essays and reports;
iii.	Oral questioning and descriptive/inquisitive dialogues;
iv.	Observation of performance, product, or demonstration;
v.	Portfolios compilations and samples of work;
vi.	Projects/assignments problem solving; and
vii.	Self/collaborative assessment.

In medical training, leading royal colleges tend to set criterion by referencing to minimum pass standards decided by a panel agreeing on the probable scores of borderline candidates for both the written examinations and the objective structured clinical examination. Although these procedures can be used to set standards for excellence, they currently tend to focus on the minimum acceptable standards.

In the automotive context, competency modules have been identified covering topics such as workshop management and safety; engine management and servicing; brakes, suspension, and steering; electrical and electronic systems; fuel systems; and power trains and transmissions. Each of these modules will have a list of required tasks, performance objectives and expectations, and enabling objectives that can show successful performance of the task.

TOC is in pursuit of its Mission towards quality training has implemented competency based assessment with a minimum competency standard set at 80% for its core and major automotive modules. MQA/LAN subjects and other non-automotive subjects will continue to have 50% as the passing mark.

Although such a change may be seen by some as drastic or unreasonable, TOC’s educational and training philosophy is rooted on the understanding that automotive technicians must be competent in carrying out their service and maintenance responsibilities with precision and certainty.

TOC believes that, “an inappropriately serviced vehicle can result in fatal accidents that may cost the lives of the driver and others within the vehicle and perhaps even those outside the vehicle”. Continuing this reasoning, one mat then ask, “will you see a medical doctor if you knew that he or she qualified using 50% as the passing grade? Similarly, will you hand-over your car to a mechanic who has passed his training programme with 50% as the passing mark? Do you think your automotive technician is sufficiently competent and will do a thorough job if his knowledge or skills is only 50 – 50?”

The Malaysian Ministry of Human Resources currently uses 60% as their minimum competency standard in most of their JPK certification examinations. However, for critical higher level tasks, such as gas pipe welding, a 100% perfect score is expected. Therefore, setting passing marks at 80% is not unprecedented.