Organisation:	United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Global
Source:	Terminology of Technical and Vocational Education (1984)
Description:	This publication is a practical terminology in the field of technical and vocational education for the purposes of international communication. After use of the original English/French version for over five years in numerous regional and international meetings, conferences, seminars and workshops held in those two languages, it was felt that publication of the guide in additional international languages would permit Unesco to contribute further to a better understanding in Member States of the Revised Recommendation concerning Technical and Vocational Education (1974), would facilitate the implementation of this instrument and would foster a more effective exchange of information in the field of technical and vocational education.UNESCO, International Bureau of Education

Organisation:	International Labour Organization (ILO) , Global
Source:	Glossary of Key Terms on Learning and Training for Work (2006)
Description:

Organisation:	European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP), Europe
Source:	Terminology of European education and training policy (2008)
Description:	This glossary is an updated and extended version of the Terminology of vocational training policy, published by Cedefop in 2004 with new languages added: English, Spanish, German, French, Italian and Portuguese. This multilingual glossary of terms used in education and training policy is intended for researchers and more generally for all those involved in education and training policy. It does not represent an exhaustive inventory of the terminology used by specialists; rather it identifies a selection of key terms that are essential for an understanding of current education and training policy in Europe. CEDEFOP

Organisation:	National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), Australia
Source:	Glossary of VET (2013 - online version continuously updated)
Description:	The language of vocational education and training (VET) is complex and particularly prone to jargon and acronyms. The aim of this glossary is to provide a single up-to-date reference source for definitions of Australian VET-related terms, acronyms and organisations. The glossary is based on 'A glossary of Australian vocational education and training terms' which was published by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) in 2000. New content, sourced from recent NCVER publications, the VOCED database, websites of key Australian VET organisations, other VET glossaries and suggestions from NCVER staff, has been added. NCVER

Organisation:	Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Philippines
Source:	TVET glossaries of terms (2010)
Description:	The Glossary of Terms, 4th edition, provides definitions of TVET terms and terminologies commonly used in education, labor and employment and other TVET related areas in the Philippines. The complexity of the environment where TVET operates requires regular review and updating of TVET terminologies as systems, standards, processes, policies and programs continue to change. The provision of this glossary is intended to facilitate comprehension and better understanding as we move together in making TVET work for our people and country. TESDA 2010

Organisation:	Moustafa Wahba (TVET consultant), Egypt
Source:	TVET glossary MW (2013)
Description:	The Egyptian TVET expert Moustafa Wahba developed a glossary based on his own experience as a consultant in TVET. Moustafa Wahba (UNEVOC e-Forum)

The means by which evidence of performance is collected, compared with a standard, and a judgment about acceptable performance is made and formally recorded. The person is either Competent or Not Yet Competent. There is no rank order, no grades or banding because an individual's abilities are compared with the standard, not with each other.
Source: Wahba 2013, Egypt

A management framework to ensure that staff has the required awareness, knowledge, skills and attitudes to perform their roles competently in support of the business.
Source: Wahba 2013, Egypt

A document describing the required competencies for specific disciplines / professions and made up of modules, units and elements of competence along with criteria for certain number of competency levels (standards).
Source: Wahba 2013, Egypt

The fundamental component or part or basic building block of a unit of competency (competence standard) and which describe the key activities or elements of the work covered by a particular occupation / trade / job. Assessments are carried out at the element level by virtue of the corresponding criteria for each.(Similar definition used by NCVER. See "Elements of competency")
Source: Wahba 2013, Egypt

(also called Subject) A unit of education or training which can be completed on its own or as part of a course and which is considered as component parts that make up a Competency Development Framework CDF for a given discipline or profession. Competency Module is an aggregation of the awareness, knowledge, skills and attitudes of the tasks which reflect what a competent person in a particular role should be able to perform. Competency Modules may also result in the attainment of one or more units of competency. The Competency Modules should include guidance for assessors pertinent to the related standards. A Competency Module should describe: 1.distinct work activity 2.work outputs expected, not what is put into the work 3.outputs that can be demonstrated and assessed at work 4.precise criteria 5.scope of the standard 6.guidelines for assessors on how to assess against the standard The four Competency Modules making up a Competency Development Framework CDF are core competence, support competence, general competence and personal / behavioral (or attitude) competencies.
Source: Wahba 2013, Egypt

An industry-determined specification of performance, which sets out the skills, knowledge and attitudes required to operate effectively in employment. In vocational education and training, competency standards are made up of units of competency, which are themselves made up of elements of competency, together with performance criteria, a range of variables, and an evidence guide. Competency standards are an endorsed component of a training package.
Source: NCVER 2013, Australia

Statement developed by industry specifying the competencies required by workers for each sector of the workforce.
Source: UNEVOC/NCVER 2009

This term refers to industry-determined specification of competencies required for effective work performance. They are expressed as outcomes and they focus on workplace activity rather than training or personal attributes and capture the ability to apply skills in new situations and changing work organization.
Source: TESDA 2010, Philippines

The transfer of competency or competencies from one work context to another.
Source: NCVER 2013, Australia

Units of competency are made up of elements describing the key activities or elements of the work covered by a particular occupation/trade/job.
Source: Wahba 2013, Egypt

The gathering and judging of evidence in order to decide whether a person has achieved a standard of competence.
Source: NCVER 2013, Australia

Competency-based education (CBE) is built on the philosophy that "almost all learners can learn equally well if they receive the kind of instructors they need".[...] Although technical vocational education has always been concerned with the practical demonstration of the skill, CBE places a new and systematic emphasis on this principle. In this approach, the systematic development and delivery of the training is guided by five essential elements:

(i) The tasks to be taught are identified by the experts in the occupation.
(ii) The programme allows each learner to have the opportunity to develop and to be evaluated on the competencies achieved
(iii) Assessment of competency is not only based on knowledge and attitude but primarily on the actual demonstration of the competency
(iv) Occupational standards or unit competency standards should be used as the basis for assessing achievement and students/trainees should be aware of them
(v) Students progress through the programme by demonstrating the attainment of specified competencies
[...]
Source: NCTVET 2006, Jamaica

National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) or Competence-based qualifications reflect the skills and knowledge needed to do a job effectively. They are work- based qualifications that give learners the opportunity to demonstrate their competence in the area of work or job role to which the qualification relates.
Source: Pearson 2014, UK

(competence-based): Sometimes means the same as ‘outcome-based’, i.e. where qualifications are based on clear statements of what the learner must know or be able to do. Sometimes ‘competence’ refers to occupational competence, i.e. a specific type of outcome referring to what the learner must be able to do to perform a work role competently
Source: ILO (SED) 2007, UN

Competency-based training (CBT) is an approach to vocational education and training that places emphasis on what a person can do in the workplace as a result of completing a program of training. Competency-based training programs are often comprised of modules broken into segments called learning outcomes, which are based on standards set by industry, and assessment is designed to ensure each student has achieved all the outcomes (skills and knowledge) required by each module. Ideally, progress within a competency-based training program is not based on time. Some competency-based training modules have two assessment components: 1. On-the-job 2. Off-the-job
(adapted from: AICL Student Handbook v4, p35 - Accessed in Nov. 2014. Source: http://www.aicl.nsw.edu.au/data/download/AICL_Student_Handbook%20_Feb_10_V4.0.pdf )
Source: UNEVOC community

Training which develops the awareness, skills, knowledge and attitudes required to achieve certain competency standards (levels).
Source: NCVER 2013, Australia

A system by which the student is trained on the basis of demonstrated ability rather than on that of elapsed time.
Source: TESDA 2010, Philippines

Properly or sufficiently qualified or fit to perform tasks associated with the job.
Source: Wahba 2013, Egypt

A unit of competency within a competency standard that an industry has agreed is essential to be achieved if a person is to be accepted as competent at a particular level. All units may be core, but in many cases competency at a level will involve core units plus optional or specialisation units of competency. Core competencies are normally those central to the work of a particular industry or occupation.
Source: NCVER 2013, Australia

The most important specific technical competencies required to be acquired by a particular discipline as core competencies to carry out the roles covered by the Competency Development Framework CDF. Core competencies identify the core units of competency within a competency standard that an industry has agreed are essential to be achieved if a person is to be accepted as competent at a particular level. All units may be core, but in many cases competency at a level will involve core units plus optional support, general and personal units of competency. Core competencies are normally those central to work in a particular industry.(Similar definition used by Queensland government)
Source: Wahba 2013, Egypt

Dimensions are part of the broad concept of competency, which includes all aspects of work performance as represented by task skills, task management skills, contingency management skills and job/role environment skills.
Source: NCVER 2013, Australia

Element of Competency includes the competencies required to be acquired by a person in his /her occupational environment. Therefore, it refers to an action, a behavior or a result that a worker needs to demonstrate and, thus, it is a task that is carried out by one individual. The Element of competency includes the description of a task that should be carried out by workers / trainees in their occupational environment. Therefore, it refers to an action that a worker needs to demonstrate and, thus, it is the ability to carry out a task by an individual.
Source: Content developed by Moustafa Wahba, Thread: RE: Questions on TVET, 18 March 2009
Source: Wahba 2013, Egypt

Any of the basic building blocks of a unit of competency which describe the key activities that must be performed to demonstrate competence in the tasks covered by the unit.
Source: NCVER 2013, Australia

Learning that provides opportunities for the development of proficiency in one or more languages as well as in some form of mathematics or mathematical literacy and that is intended to support further learning, or competence required to pursue work in a professional environment.
Source: SAQA 2013, South Africa

The minimum general technical competencies required to be acquired by all occupations / trades during their training and career development period. They are not specific to work in a particular occupation, job, trade or industry, but is important for work, education and life generally, e.g. communication and information skills, planning and organizational skills, mathematical skills, solving problems, computer literacy, interpersonal competence, and analytical skills. (Definition also used by NCEVER. See "Generic skills")
Source: Wahba 2013, Egypt

The sum of skills (basic and new basic skills) needed to live in contemporary knowledge society.
Source: CEDEFOP 2008, Europe

Any of several generic skills or competencies considered essential for people to participate effectively in the workforce. Key competencies apply to work generally, rather than being specific to work in a particular occupation or industry. The Finn Report (1991) identified six key areas of competence which were subsequently developed in the Mayer Report (1992) into seven key competencies: collecting, analysing and organising information; communicating ideas and information; planning and organising activities; working with others and in teams; using mathematical ideas and techniques; solving problems; and using technology.
Source: NCVER 2013, Australia

Key competences are:
1) Communication in the mother tongue;
2) Communication in foreign languages;
3) Mathematical competence and basic competences in science and technology;
4) Digital competence;
5) Learning to learn;
6) Social and civic competences;
7) Sense of initiative and entrepreneurship;
8) Cultural awareness and expression.
These key competences are all interdependent, and the emphasis in each case is on critical thinking, creativity, initiative, problem solving, risk assessment, decision taking and constructive management of feelings.
Source: EU Legislation 2007, Europe

An essential skill for a given age, grade, or level of performance.
Source: NCVER 2013, Australia

The assessment of a person’s current capacity to perform; it applies if an individual has previously successfully completed the requirements for a unit of competency or a module and is now required to be reassessed to ensure that the competence is being maintained.
Source: NCVER 2013, Australia

The process in which the competency/ies currently possessed by an individual can be assessed against the relevant unit of competency and may be given recognition through the issuance of appropriate certificate.
Source: TESDA 2010, Philippines

A performance specification describing what is expected of a person performing a particular work activity. It is expressed in elements of work together with performance criteria.
Source: Wahba 2013, Egypt

The nationally agreed statements of the skills and knowledge required for effective performance in a particular job or job function. They identify the skills and knowledge, as outcomes that contribute to the whole job function. Units of competency are an endorsed component of training packages.
Source: NCVER 2013, Australia

A component of the competency standard stating a specific key function or role in a particular job or occupation serving as a basis for training an individual to gain specific knowledge, skills and attitude needed to satisfy the special demands or requirements of a particular situation.
Source: TESDA 2010, Philippines

Vocational competency in a particular industry consists of broad industry knowledge and experience, usually combined with a relevant industry qualification. A person who has vocational competency will be familiar with the content of the vocation and will have relevant current experience in the industry. Vocational competencies must be considered on an industry-by-industry basis and with reference to the guidance provided in the assessment guidelines of the relevant training package.
Source: NCVER 2013, Australia