Industrial Maintenance Mechanic - Urban Institute

COMPETENCY-BASED OCCUPATIONAL FRAMEWORK FORREGISTERED APPRENTICESHIPIndustrial Maintenance MechanicONET Code: 49.9041.00RAPIDS Code: 0308CBCreated: August 2018Updated:This project has been funded, either wholly or in part, with Federal funds from the Department of Labor,Employment and Training Administration under Contract Number DOL-ETA-15-C-0087. The contents of thispublication do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department of Labor, nor does mention of tradenames, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement of the same by the U.S. Government.For More Information, Contact:Diana Elliott, Senior Research Associate, Urban Institute: delliott@urban.orgRobert Lerman, PhD, Institute Fellow, Urban Institute: rlerman@urban.org

AB O U T T HE U R BA N I NS T I T U TEThe nonprofit Urban Institute is dedicated to elevating the debate on social and economic policy. For nearly fivedecades, Urban scholars have conducted research and offered evidence-based solutions that improve lives andstrengthen communities across a rapidly urbanizing world. Their objective research helps expand opportunities forall, reduce hardship among the most vulnerable, and strengthen the effectiveness of the public sector.ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSWe would like to thank several contributors for this framework. First, we would like to thank theNational Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS) who helped to initially develop this framework andwithout whom we would not have been able to do this work. Specifically, we would like to thankCatherine Ross and Montez King who have been critical in the development of this framework. Wewould also like to thank Tracy DiFilippis from Goodwill Southern California and Jeffrey Forrest fromCollege of the Canyons for helping to facilitate the roundtable discussion with their organization,Strong Workforce Apprenticeship Group (SWAG), to vet this framework.We would also like to thank several people who have contributed to the development and vetting ofthis framework. They include: Jose Anaya; Jimmy Crook from the Wonderful Company; DavidGoodreau from SMA; Marybeth Jacobsen from WEC; Heather Lee O’Connell from Schaer Grinder;Greg Poteat from CACT; George Simonoff from the Wonderful Company; Jack Tobin; and Otto Vegafrom Hass.IIACKNOWLEDGMENTS

ContentsACKNOWLEDGEMENTSiiCompetency-Based Occupational Frameworks1Components of the Competency-Based Occupational Framework2Using the Competency-Based Occupational Framework to Develop a Registered ApprenticeshipProgram3Industrial Maintenance Mechanic Occupational Overview5Occupational Purpose and Context5Apprenticeship Prerequisites6Occupational Pathways6Certifications, Licensure and Other Credential Requirements6Job Functions7Stackable Programs7Options and Specializations8Levels8Work Process Schedule9Related Technical Instruction Plan9Cross-Cutting Competencies16Detailed Job Functions18JOB FUNCTION 1: Operates in the workplace in a safe and effective manner18JOB FUNCTION 2: Monitors, troubleshoots, installs, and repairs basic mechanical systems22JOB FUNCTION 3: Monitors, troubleshoots, installs, and repairs basic hydraulic systems29JOB FUNCTION 4: Monitors, troubleshoots, installs, and repairs basic pneumatic systems36JOB FUNCTION 5: Monitors, troubleshoots, and repairs electrical systems41JOB FUNCTION 6: Monitors, troubleshoots, installs, and repairs electronic and process controlsystems48JOB FUNCTION 7: Performs maintenance welding to manufacture or repair parts, equipment andother materials52JOB FUNCTION 8: Installs, removes, repairs, and replaces piping systems56Statement of IndependenceCONTENTS59III

Competency-Based OccupationalFrameworksThe Urban Institute, under contract by the U.S. Department of Labor, has worked with employers,subject matter experts, labor unions, trade associations, credentialing organizations and academics todevelop Competency-Based Occupational Frameworks (CBOF) for Registered Apprenticeshipprograms. These frameworks defined the purpose of an occupation, the job functions that are carriedout to fulfill that purpose, the competencies that enable the apprentice to execute those job functionswell, and the performance criteria that define the specific knowledge, skills and personal attributesassociated with high performance in the workplace. This organizational hierarchy – Job Purpose – JobFunctions – Competencies – Performance Criteria – is designed to illustrate that performing work wellrequires more than just acquiring discrete knowledge elements or developing a series of manual skills.To perform a job well, the employee must be able to assimilate knowledge and skills learned in varioussettings, recall and apply that information to the present situation, and carry out work activities usingsound professional judgement, demonstrating an appropriate attitude or disposition, and achieving alevel of speed and accuracy necessary to meet the employer’s business need.The table below compares the terminology of Functional Analysis with that of traditional OccupationalTask Analysis to illustrate the important similarities and differences. While both identify the keytechnical elements of an occupation, Functional Analysis includes the identification of behaviors,attributes and characteristics of workers necessary to meet an employer’s expectations.Framework TerminologyTraditional Task Analysis TerminologyJob Function – the work activities that arecarried out to fulfill the job purposeJob Duties – roles and responsibilities associatedwith an occupationCompetency – the actions an individual takesand the attitudes he/she displays to completethose activitiesTask – a unit of work or set of activities neededto produce some resultPerformance Criteria – the specific knowledge,skills, dispositions, attributes, speed andaccuracy associated with meeting the employer’sexpectationsSub Task – the independent actions taken toperform a unit of work or a work activityAlthough designed for use in competency-based apprenticeship, these Competency-BasedOccupational Frameworks also support time-based apprenticeship by defining more clearly andprecisely apprentice is expected to learn and do during the allocated time-period.COMPETENCY-BASED OCCUPATIONAL FRAMEWORKS1

CBOFs are comprehensive in to encompass the full range of jobs that may be performed by individualsin the same occupation. As employers or sponsors develop their individual apprenticeship programs,they can extract from or add to the framework to meet their unique organizational needs.Components of the Competency-Based Occupational FrameworkOccupational Overview: This section of the framework provides a description of the occupationincluding its purpose, the setting in which the job is performed and unique features of the occupation.Work Process Schedule: This section includes the job functions and competencies that would likely beincluded in an apprenticeship sponsor’s application for registration. These frameworks provide a pointof reference that has already been vetted by industry leaders so sponsors can develop new programsknowing that they will meet or exceed the consensus expectations of peers. Sponsors maintain theability to customize their programs to meet their unique needs, but omission of a significant number ofjob functions or competencies should raise questions about whether or not the program has correctlyidentified the occupation of interest.Cross-cutting Competencies: These competencies are common among all workers, and focus on theunderlying knowledge, attitudes, personal attributes and interpersonal skills that are importantregardless of the occupation. That said, while these competencies are important to all occupations, therelative importance of some versus is others may change from one occupation to the next. Theserelative differences are illustrated in this part of the CBOF and can be used to design preapprenticeship programs or design effective screening tools when recruiting apprentices to theprogram.Detailed Job Function Analysis: This portion of the framework includes considerable detail and isdesigned to support curriculum designers and trainers in developing and administering the program.There is considerable detail in this section, which may be confusing to those seeking a more succinct,higher-level view of the program. For this reason, we recommend that the Work Process Schedule bethe focus of program planning activities, leaving the detailed job function analysis sections toinstructional designers as they engage in their development work.a.Related Technical Instruction: Under each job function appears a list of foundationalknowledge, skills, tools and technologies that would likely be taught in the classroom toenable the apprentice’s on-the-job training safety and success.2COMPETENCY-BASED OCCUPATIONAL FRAMEWORKS

b.Performance Criteria: Under each competency, we provide recommended performancecriteria that could be used to differentiate between minimally, moderately and highlycompetent apprentices. These performance criteria are generally skills-based rather thanknowledge-based, but may also include dispositional and behavioral competencies.Using the Competency-Based Occupational Framework to Develop a RegisteredApprenticeship ProgramWhen developing a registered apprenticeship program, the Work Process Schedule included in thisCBOF provides an overview of the job functions and competencies an expert peer group deemed to beimportant to this occupation. The Work Process Schedule in this document can be used directly, ormodified and used to describe your program content and design as part of your registration application.The more detailed job function analysis sections of the framework may be shared with RelatedTechnical Instruction providers and so that they can develop or identify courses that have learningobjectives that support the foundational knowledge and skills upon which on-the-job competencies canbe built. This section can also be useful to workplace trainers and evaluators since it provides additionaldetail about the performance criteria that could be used to both instruct apprentices and assess theirlevel of competency throughout the program.COMPETENCY-BASED OCCUPATIONAL FRAMEWORKS3

Industrial Maintenance MechanicOccupational OverviewOccupational Purpose and ContextIndustrial Maintenance Mechanics work in the private sector and are critical to ensure the smooth andreliable operation of the industrial plants and equipment in their industry. They set out to maintain andrepair manufacturing equipment. They help to ensure through the work that they do, that industrialmachinery and equipment is maintained at the highest possible level, ensuring the productivity andsafety of the entire production team.Potential Job TitlesElectrical and Electronics Repairers; Commercial and Industrial Equipment Mechanics; IndustrialMachinery Mechanics; Maintenance Workers, Machinery; Maintenance and Repair Workers, General;and Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers.Attitudes and BehaviorsIndustrial Maintenance Mechanics should have well developed critical and autonomous thinking skillsto solve problems quickly, strong interpersonal skills including good listening skills and culturalsensitivity, the ability to identify the important details to focus on, the ability to understand theimplications of new information, the capability to problem solve and make decisions, the ability toexecute tasks in a specific order to obtain an outcome, the ability to pay attention to specifics or detailsincluding documenting them and staying focused despite distractions, the ability to combine pieces ofinformation to form general rules or conclusions, and the ability to arrange objects or actions in anorder or pattern related to a specific rule or set of rules.OCCUPATIONAL OVERVIEW5