The AGRICOM project: - Transfers the existing Water Competences Model (WACOM) to develop the first Agricultural Competence Model (ACM) focused on skills for irrigation, hydroponics, and other areas involving agricultural water use - Involves 7 partners from 4 European countries analyzing skills needs, testing the new ACM, and establishing an online community - Has so far developed the initial ACM structure and templates, identified key competences, and outlined next steps of refining the model and piloting it with stakeholders from

1. AGRICOM
Competence Modelling for the
Agricultural Sector

2. LINQ Conference
2012-10-23
Cornelia Helmstedt, University of Duisburg-Essen
cornelia.helmstedt@uni-due.de - slide 2
• AGRICOM = Transfer of the Water Competences
Model to AGRIcultural COMpetences
• Executive summary in one sentence:
AGRICOM will provide the first competence
model for the agricultural sector (ACM) and in
particular the fields related to the unitisation of
the water resources in irrigation, hydroponics and
other related agricultural fields.
AGRICOM - Overview

3. LINQ Conference
2012-10-23
Cornelia Helmstedt, University of Duisburg-Essen
cornelia.helmstedt@uni-due.de - slide 3
• Based on WACOM= WAter COMpetence
modell
• The European project for agricultural
competences supported by the European
Commission
• Start in October 2011: Your contribution and
influence is possible and most welcome!
AGRICOM - Overview

4. LINQ Conference
2012-10-23
Cornelia Helmstedt, University of Duisburg-Essen
cornelia.helmstedt@uni-due.de - slide 4
• 7 partners from 4 countries (DE, GR, IT, NL),
coordinator: University of Duisburg-Essen
AGRICOM - Partners

5. LINQ Conference
2012-10-23
Cornelia Helmstedt, University of Duisburg-Essen
cornelia.helmstedt@uni-due.de - slide 5
• Identify and analyse the needs and competences
required by the labour market in the European
agricultural sector
• Transfer the generic WACOM Competence Model
(WCM) to the AGRICOM Competence Model
(ACM)
• Pilot-test the ACM within professions related to
agricultural use of water
• Establish the AGRICOM online community to
support discussion and research exchange related
to the project.
AGRICOM - Objectives

6. LINQ Conference
2012-10-23
Cornelia Helmstedt, University of Duisburg-Essen
cornelia.helmstedt@uni-due.de - slide 6
• Establish the AGRICOM web portal and
populating it with more agricultural use cases,
• Enhance the transparency of the job profiles
in the agricultural sector,
• Support the conjunction of vocational
education and training with the labour market
and jobs specialisations.
AGRICOM - Objectives

7. LINQ Conference
2012-10-23
Cornelia Helmstedt, University of Duisburg-Essen
cornelia.helmstedt@uni-due.de - slide 7
• Competence: ability (that cannot be observed
directly but only by activities) to adequately and
successfully combine and perform necessary
activities in any contexts to achieve specific tasks
or objectives [adapted from EQF]
• Activity: observable and measurable behavior or
performance of knowledge, skills or competences
to achieve a conscious objective (synonym to
action) [adapted from PAS 1093]
Terms and definitions as basis for
the Competence Model I

8. LINQ Conference
2012-10-23
Cornelia Helmstedt, University of Duisburg-Essen
cornelia.helmstedt@uni-due.de - slide 8
• Knowledge: outcome of learning processes
related to information [adapted from EQF]
• Skills: outcome of learning processes related to
actions including the performance to apply
knowledge and use know-how to complete tasks
and solve problems (cognitive or practical)
[adapted from EQF]
Terms and definitions as basis for
the Competence Model II

9. LINQ Conference
2012-10-23
Cornelia Helmstedt, University of Duisburg-Essen
cornelia.helmstedt@uni-due.de - slide 9
• Competence
= Knowledge + Skills (+ individual ability)
• Activities
• = Performance of Knowledge + Skills +
Competences (+ individual ability)
Competences

10. LINQ Conference
2012-10-23
Cornelia Helmstedt, University of Duisburg-Essen
cornelia.helmstedt@uni-due.de - slide 16
AGRICOM – CM Transfer Steps
ACM (Validated Version)
ACM (first Version)
Pilot Testing
WCM
Needs Analyses Transfer
end of year 1
end of year 2

11. LINQ Conference
2012-10-23
Cornelia Helmstedt, University of Duisburg-Essen
cornelia.helmstedt@uni-due.de - slide 17
Needs analyses:
– Four National Workshops
– Online Survey
– Survey on CM in Europe
> huge differences
between Germany, Greece,
The Netherlands and Italy
have been taken into
account for ACM
AGRICOM – First Outcomes

12. LINQ Conference
2012-10-23
Cornelia Helmstedt, University of Duisburg-Essen
cornelia.helmstedt@uni-due.de - slide 18
First version of AGRICOM Competence Model
(ACM) provides
• all by now elaborated competences for the
agricultural sector
• templates for competence descriptions, job
profiles and competence profiles
• use examples of a single competences, job
profiles and trainings opportunities
AGRICOM – First Outcomes

13. LINQ Conference
2012-10-23
Cornelia Helmstedt, University of Duisburg-Essen
cornelia.helmstedt@uni-due.de - slide 19
ACM - Competence Structure
The Competence Structure
Action Verb [e.g., "Determine and
implement ]
Object [e.g., "production plan"]
Optional
elements
[e.g., "for Hydroponic
crops "]

14. LINQ Conference
2012-10-23
Cornelia Helmstedt, University of Duisburg-Essen
cornelia.helmstedt@uni-due.de - slide 22
ACM – Competence Types
Key Competences
Managerial or
Individual Competences
AGRI-Competences
(Plant/Water)

15. LINQ Conference
2012-10-23
Cornelia Helmstedt, University of Duisburg-Essen
cornelia.helmstedt@uni-due.de - slide 23
ACM – Competence Types
• Plant:
"Agriculture“, "Plant hygiene“, "Plant nutrition“,
"Plant protection“, "Soil science“
• Water:
"Cultivation technology“, "Managing water costs“,
"Planning the time and the period of the
irrigation“, "Plant protection in water
management“, "Process control“, "Selection and
basic knowledge of the supporting technical
equipment“, etc.

16. LINQ Conference
2012-10-23
Cornelia Helmstedt, University of Duisburg-Essen
cornelia.helmstedt@uni-due.de - slide 24
• Clustering of competence descriptions into activity areas
• Addition of context and level into the template of job profiles
• Main focus of the use case scenarios in the direction of the stakeholders:
employer (small company), employee and VET
• Addition of learning outcomes
• Concentration on four job profiles:
– manager of a hydroponic system/a field irrigation system
– operator of a hydroponic system/a field irrigation system
• Competence classification splits into:
– Key competences
– Managerial or individual competences
– Professional or agricultural competences
Differences ACM-WCM

17. LINQ Conference
2012-10-23
Cornelia Helmstedt, University of Duisburg-Essen
cornelia.helmstedt@uni-due.de - slide 25
All main results are already summarized & published on
www.agriculture-competence.eu
Next steps:
• Refine and optimize AGRICOM Competence Model
(ACM)
• Pilot test ACM
• Online dissemination and discussion in AGRICOM web
portal and online community at
http://voa3r.cc.uah.es/index.php/groups/viewgroup/2
5-AGRICOM
For your Agenda: LINQ Conference in Mai 2013 in Rome!
AGRICOM – Outlook

18. LINQ Conference
2012-10-23
Cornelia Helmstedt, University of Duisburg-Essen
cornelia.helmstedt@uni-due.de - slide 26
• AGRICOM Coordinator:
Christian M. Stracke (University of Duisburg-Essen)
christian.stracke@icb.uni-due.de
• http:// www.agriculture-competence.eu
This project has been funded with support from the European
Commission. This communication reflects the views only of the
author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use
which may be made of the information contained therein.
AGRICOM Contacts