Building MPA Success From Within: Professionalizing the MPA Employee

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Building MPA Success From Within
Professionalizing the MPA Employee

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Outline

• Background - Why a certification Program
• What is the certification program
• Levels of certification
• Core competences of the program
• Certification process
• Lessons learnt

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Why a certification Program?

• The number of MPAs is growing rapidly
• The management effectiveness of many MPA needs
  strengthening
• Strengthening of MPA is linked to strengthening
  the capacity of MPA staff
• Much capacity building to date has been in the
  form of one-off training events
• There is a lack of in-service training or
  opportunities to practice what has been learnt in
  the real-life professional setting
• Participation in short courses have not
  necessarily led to professional advancement or
  promotion

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Western Indian Ocean-Certification of Marine
Protected Area Professionals

• Certification programme does not replace any of
  the on-going training initiatives but providing a
  framework through which
• the core competencies for different levels of
  professionals in MPAs are identified
• standards of performance and the levels of
  knowledge and applied skills and experience
  against which a certified individual is
  measured are set
• the use of a practicum to test the ability of
  individuals to apply critical thinking and
  decision-making to addressing the issues facing
  those working in MPAs, is introduced
• ethical rules and good practices that underpin
  effective MPA management are established

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Levels of Certification

• The program will offer three Levels of
  Certification based on their level of work
  experience and performance capabilities
• Level I - Professionals performing practical
  functions and responsibilities, with basic
  administrative responsibilities. 2 years of
  experience in practical MPA operations. To be
  offered on a national basis starting 2009
• Level II Performing principal management,
  supervisory and administrative functions and
  responsibilities. 3 years of experience in MPA
  management practitioner position. To be offered
  regionally beginning August 2008
• Level III - Performing principal high-level
  management, strategy and policy development, and
  administrative functions and responsibilities. 5
  years of experience in a senior MPA management
  position.

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Core Competencies of the Program

• Policy, Legal and Compliance Framework
• Approaches to MPA Establishment and Management
• Communication and Stakeholder Engagement
• Financing MPAs
• MPA Management Operations
• Biophysical and Social Environment

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Secretariat Review of Requirements
Application Phase
Certification Process for a Level II program
Assessor Review and Interview Applicants
Candidates and Assessors Design Practicum
Board Approval of Applicant Roster
Candidates Conduct Practicums
Final Scoring and Recommendations
Assessment Event
Board Approves Recommendations
WIO-PRO Presented with Certification!
Certification and Transcript to
Candidatess Supervisor
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Lessons learnt

• Need to decide early on whether the program is
  about training and then certifying or just
  assessing proven abilities in the work place
• What level of assessing skills will the program
  address - we choose higher level skills that are
  most difficult to assess (policy, staff
  management, analysis of issues/strategy). Others
  might choose basic performance skills like boat
  handling, infrastructure management...
• Can't be everything for everyone - pick key
  competencies that serve your primary audience
• Simplicity vs Rigour- To stay economical and keep
  costs down we had to simplify and base some
  assessments on interviews. But if we were to be
  more rigorous in our testing abilities or site
  reviews we would increase costs. Again a decision
  on how to fund the program - donor
  supported/scholarships/candidate self funded....

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!