Skills and Talents Inventory at CERN

The new CERN Management, and in particular its CFO, regards the absence of a Skills and Talents Inventory as a particularly serious shortcoming, which has resulted in this project being given a high priority.

1.3. In order for the Skills and Talents Inventory (STI) to bear fruit, should not the rules governing internal mobility at CERN be revised?

Clearly, for the Skills and Talents Inventory (STI) to bear fruit, the rules which have governed internal mobility to date should be made more flexible so that internal mobility can regain its dynamic. The CERN Management is currently working on that.

1.4. Is there any risk that one of the people I supervise or I myself could be transferred to another unit against my will ?

The purpose of the Skills and Talents Inventory (STI) is to make optimum use of the skills that exist at CERN and to create internal career opportunities. In cases where there is a demonstrable manpower need, the Departments, with the HR Department's assistance, will be able to search in the STI for the staff members with the skills profile for the post. The list of persons thereby identified will be only the first stage in the internal mobility process. If a suitable person is subsequently identified, a decision will have to be taken with priority being given to the interests of CERN over those of individual Departments. In any event, an internal mobility transfer can be fully successful only if the interest of the Organization and that of the person concerned correspond.

1.5. Hasn’t there been a project similar to this in the past?

Yes, the PEPSI Project (CERN - PE Personal Skills Inventory) was launched in 1989. At that time, as workflow technology did not exist, information on skills had to be collected on paper forms which resulted in a lengthy data-collating period. So the inventory was a one-off process and few skills entries were updated. Furthermore PEPSI didn’t include a pre-determined skills model, which made it much more difficult to use the data.

1.6. Is there any link with the MAPS advancement exercise?

The Skills and Talents Inventory (STI) concerns skills, whereas MAPS concerns annual objectives, performance appraisal and advancement proposals. People with comparable skills may have very different performances, for which there are many possible reasons. Therefore the skill is not the only determining factor in an individual’s performance. In any case, there will be no direct link between the skills recorded in the STI and advancement proposals.

1.7. What is meant by “skills” and "talents” ?

In the STI project, a “skill" means the capacity to apply an integrated set of abilities, knowledge, perceptions and attitudes allowing an individual to deal with a series of life situations. A skill is acquired through experience and/or education and training. The first phase of the project concerns the technical and administrative skills which enable people to perform a specific function or task.
“ Talents” relate to the way in which an individual operates, essentially independently of his knowledge. They describe how an individual acts: i.e. in terms of a sense of responsibility, interactions with others, adaptability and the capacity to work independently, etc.

1.9. The skills model seems to me to be not very well balanced: in particular the breakdown of physics skills does not seem as detailed as you would expect for a physics laboratory.

Some fields shown in the skills model are bound to be more detailed than others bearing in mind that the purpose of the model is to cover all the various skills that are relevant to CERN now and for the future and not to indicate the relative importance of each field by the level of detail into which it is broken down. Thus, for instance, it will be seen that Cryogenics or Vacuum are broken down into more sub-headings in the model than Mathematics or Chemistry.
Many physicists will find several of their main skills outside the physics field itself in the model, particularly in the informatics, electricity and electronics fields.

2. Questions relating to the entering of skills data into the EDH document

2.1. I am invited to enter my own skills in the inventory. Is this compulsory? What exactly must I do?

All CERN staff members are required to enter their skills into the Skills and Talents Inventory (STI).
If you will be leaving CERN soon or if you are in progressive retirement, please also follow this link.

You are required to enter into the EDH document your main technical and/or administrative skills, provided that they can be validated by your current supervisor personally or indirectly through other colleagues or a previous supervisor. Main skills means those that seem the most relevant to CERN today and for the future. The skills must be chosen from the skills model which comprises three levels : the first level is called "domain", the second is called "skill" and the third is called "specialisation".
At least one specialisation must be indicated up to a maximum of ten. For each specialisation, you must also evaluate and indicate your level of expertise, enter the number of years' experience and the year in which you last made use of the specialisation. A field entitled « Details » is also provided to allow you to describe your specialisations in greater detail in your own words.
It should be noted that the order in which you list your specialisations is of no importance.
If you wish, you can also ask your supervisor if you can complete the inventory in conjunction with him, which will greatly simplify his task of validating your skills.
When you have completed the inventory, you must click on “send” and sign the EDH document to forward it to your supervisor for validation.

2.2. I cannot find the skill I would like to enter. What should I do?

There are three possible ways to find your specialisation : either by trawling through the skills model headings on the Web page, or by a key word search or by printing out/consulting the pdf version of the model . Additional explanations on this can be found in the quick reference guide.
If the skill entry you wish to make concerns an item of equipment or a specific machine, you should be aware that it has been expressly decided to give preference to basic skills such as the various physics or electronics disciplines, etc., rather than to the various machines and specific facilities. Skills that are defined too specifically in relation to particular machines, facilities or items of equipment would clearly not be useful for internal mobility purposes. However, you can always give further details of your skill in relation to a specific item of equipment or a machine in the « Details » field.

If you are wanting to enter a managerial-type or a communication- or supervision-linked skill, follow this link.

If you prefer to consult the skills model in the other language, follow this link.

If you still cannot find a suitable specialisation (level 3), try looking under the correct skill (level 2) and follow this link.

2.3. I am a physicist/an engineer/a technician and I also possess skills in other domains. May I/should I enter them?

Skills entries should not be limited to your main field of activity and you should search the entire model. You are therefore invited not only to enter your skills in your main field of activity but also in other fields such as informatics, electronics and administration, provided that you bear in mind that they must form part of your main skills and that your current supervisor will have to be able to validate them personally or through other colleagues or a previous supervisor.

2.4. I have not been able to find exactly the skill that I would like to enter because, although I have found the appropriate “skill” (level 2), I cannot find a corresponding “specialisation” (level 3). What should I do?

In this case, choose the specialisation field "Other" under the appropriate “Skill” and provide details of the skill in the "Details" field. This will help us to improve the model for the next version.

Please note that the specialisation field “Other” must be reserved exclusively for specialisations that you wish to enter that are totally missing from the model. In fact it is better to select an existing specialisation in the model even if it is only partly appropriate.

2.5. I have found the skill that I was looking for and I would like to specify that my skill relates, for instance, exclusively to the “design” to “prototyping” phases. How can I do this?

In this case, provide details of the various phases, which are particular important for specifying your skill, in the “Details” field.

2.6. I have found the skill that I was looking for but I would like to specify that my skill relates, for instance, exclusively to product X or software Y. How can I do this?

In such cases, give details of product X or software Y in the "Details" field. This is a particularly useful indication of the specific nature of your skill.

2.7. I am hesitating over what level of expertise to indicate. Is there any further information available for me to consult?

To ensure maximum objectivity, you should evaluate your level of expertise on the basis of the generic levels defined below. Please note that your level of expertise is not automatically linked to the number of years' experience that you have in the field concerned.

Level 1 : Beginner: able to apply a theoretical or empirical knowledge to the performance of a specified task.

Level 2 : Experienced: able to integrate different tasks or projects, and to select appropriate tools, skills, knowledge or technologies.

Level 3 : Expert: able to innovate or to make forward move in a domain. Develop concepts or theories. Teaches the subject.

Please note that you can provide further details of your level of expertise in the “Details” field.

2.8. What will happen if my supervisor does not agree with one or more skills that I have entered?

Your supervisor may amend the list of specialisations that you have entered, particuarly if he thinks that you have omitted one or more specialisations or that you have entered one or more specialisations which he does not consider form part of your main skills. As EDH is not intended as a substitute for communication, it is desirable that he discusses this with you. However, if you cannot agree, it will be up to him to decide what should be entered.

2.9. What will happen if my supervisor does not agree to the level of expertise that I have entered for one or more skills?

Your supervisor, who is in a position to take a much broader view, may adjust the level of expertise you have entered upwards if he considers that you have underestimated your level or downwards in the opposite case. As EDH is not intended as a substitute for communication, it is desirable that he discusses this with you. However, if you cannot agree, it will be up to him to decide which level to enter.

2.10. I am not convinced that my current supervisor will be in a position to validate the skill that I should like to enter. What should I do?

First and foremost, talk to your supervisor about it. As you will see from the instructions to your supervisor, the latter has a certain amount of latitude in validating your skills.

2.11. I should like to enter more than 10 specialisations but there is no scope for entering more in the EDH document. Why?

In order to keep the system light and to ensure that the inventory contains the most useful possible information, you are requested to enter only your main skills, i.e. those that you consider the most relevant to CERN now and for the future. This is why you are invited to enter a maximum of 10 specialisations.

2.12. If I so wish, I can also enter a “skills aspiration”. i.e. a skill that I might like to acquire or develop. What is the purpose of this?

If you wish, you can use the EDH document to indicate a “skill” (level 2) selected from the skills model that you might like to acquire or develop. Unlike specialisations entries, you must select the skill you would like to acquire from the skills level (level 2) to ensure that it is sufficiently broadly based.

It should be noted that expressing a desire to acquire or develop a skill has no bearing on the "Training objectives" part of the MAPS form. You can express a desire to acquire or develop a skill in a totally different field from your scheduled current and future fields of activity.

The supervisor is not required to validate any skills that you indicate you might wish to acquire or develop.

The Organization attaches a great deal of importance to this information. The Organization will as far as possible try to respond to the desire of staff members to develop their skills base in so far as the priorities of the programme of work allow.

2.13. I would like to indicate managerial or behavioural skills and I cannot find them. Why not?

The first phase of the CERN Skills and Talents Inventory (STI) relates exclusively to technical and administrative skills.

2.14. I have already completed and sent off my EDH document but I would like to make changes to it. Is this possible?

You have several possibilities:

a) if your supervisor has not yet opened your EDH document, you can cancel it and clone it to create a new one; or

b) if your supervisor has not yet signed your EDH document, you can ask him to amend it for you; or

c) if your supervisor has already signed the EDH document, you can create a new one that amends the list of skills recorded by the first document. The amended document must then be validated by your supervisor.

2.15. I am not a CERN staff member (I am a Fellow/Associate/User, etc.). Must I contribute to the Skills and Talents Inventory (STI)?

The first phase of STI is limited to the Organization’s staff members. It is planned to examine the possibility of including other categories of personnel at a later stage.

2.16. Should the specialisations be entered in a specific order?

No. The order in which you enter your specialisations is of no importance. A specialisation is deemed to carry the same weight in a person’s skills base whether it is listed first or last.

2.17. Who exactly is "my supervisor" for STI project purposes?

Your supervisor is the person registered as such in the OracleHR / EDH databases provided that he is at least a section leader. If not, your supervisor is your supervisor' supervisor for STI purposes (and so forth if necessary).

2.18. I have, for instance, five months’ or two years and eleven months’ experience in a given specialisation. How many years’ experience should I enter?

If you have less than six months’ experience: indicate 0 years; if you have six months’ or over six months’ experience: indicate 1 year.
Thus, for five months’ experience indicate 0 years.

In general the same rule applies to fractions of years.
Thus for 2 years 11 months’ experience, put 3 years.

2.19. I have been using a specialisation for 5 years but only once a year. How many years’ experience should I enter?

5 years

2.20. If I enter all the specialisations that I possess in a single skill (e.g. in metrology), I have already entered 10 and therefore am not entitled to indicate other specialisations in other skills or fields. What should I do?

If you consider that the specialisations you possess in skills or fields other than, for instance, metrology also form part of your main skills (i.e. those that seem most relevant to CERN today and for the future), it would be preferable to indicate less than 10 specialisations in metrology in order to leave room for the specialisations that you possess in other skills or fields.

2.21. I should prefer to consult the skills model in the other language. Is this possible?

Of course: you can either

print out or consult the pdf version of the model in the other language - the number codes used are the same in both languages; or
change the language in EDH (the change will become permanent if you don’t change it back after use).

2.22. My supervisor is away at the moment. Should I await his return before sending the EDH document ? If I send the EDH document, will it be routed to someone else?

You can send the EDH document which will await the return of your supervisor without a time limit and you need therefore have no fears of it being routed to anyone else.

2.23. I saved yesterday an EDH document with some specialisations. Today, I would like to continue this work but all saved specialisations have disappeared. What is happening?

You have probably created a new empty EDH document instead of completing the existing EDH document. To find the existing document you have created yesterday, follow this link.

2.24. I will be leaving CERN soon / I am in progressive retirement. Should I participate?

One of the objectives of the STI project is to inventory the skills that CERN is going to lose. In this context, as your contribution is extremely important for the project, you are required to fill in the EDH document although you will be leaving CERN soon. In the same spirit, if you are in progressive retirement, the STI team would appreciate if you could also fill in the EDH document.

3. Questions on how the supervisor validates the skills of a person he supervises (EDH document)

3.1. What precisely do I have to do when I am invited to validate the EDH document containing the skills inventory of one of the people I supervise?

You will be asked to validate the main technical and/or administrative skills entered in the skills inventory in EDH by the person you supervise.

You must validate the information relating to each specialisation he has entered in the inventory: i.e. the level of expertise, the number of years’ experience, the year in which he last used the specialisation and also the “Details” field, which provides an opportunity for people to give further details of specialisations in their own words.

You can change the levels of expertise entered as well as any other information provided.

If you do not feel competent to validate one or more of the specialisations entered yourself, follow this link.

You must also check that all the specialisations entered do in fact correspond to the main skills of the person concerned and particularly that no main skill has been omitted.

If you intend to amend or if you have already amended one or more specialisations entered by the person you supervise, you would be well advised to discuss the matter with him. However, if you cannot agree, as his supervisor the final decision is yours.

When all this has been completed, you must click on “send” and sign the EDH document so that the document is recorded in OracleHR.

3.2. In my view, one of the people I supervise has incorrectly evaluated his level of expertise for one or more skills. What should I do?

You can change the levels of expertise entered as well as any other information provided.

If you are considering/ have already made such amendments, you would be well advised to discuss the matter with him. However, if you cannot agree, as his supervisor the final decision is yours.

3.3. In my view, one of the people I supervise has omitted to mention one or more skills. What should I do?

You can add the omitted specialisations.

If you are considering making/ have already made such additions, you would be well advised to discuss the matter with him. However, if you cannot agree, as his supervisor the final decision is yours.

3.4. In my view, one of the people I supervise has entered one or more skills that are not part of his main skills. What should I do?

You may delete the specialisations which you do not consider form part of his main skills.

If you are considering making/ have already made such deletions, you would be well advised to discuss the matter with him. However, if you cannot agree, as his supervisor the final decision is yours.

3.5. One of the people I supervise has entered one or more skills that I am not in a position to validate. What should I do?

You can validate these skills if you have a good knowledge of the previous career of the person you supervise even if he previously worked in a different field from yours. Naturally, in such a case, it will be more difficult for you to assess the level of expertise and you can then contact other colleagues or a previous supervisor to assist you in this area.

You can also validate these skills after having obtained confirmation from other colleagues or from a previous supervisor.

Thirdly, you can validate these skills if the person you supervise is able to produce certificates or diplomas attesting to completion of training courses for the skills concerned.

If this is not the case, you must delete the skills indicated.

3.6. Should I also validate skills that people I supervise indicate they would like to acquire?

No.

3.7. One of the people I supervise has been absent for a long period. What should I do?

You are requested, on the person’s behalf, to enter his main technical and/or administrative skills into the EDH document provided that you are in a position to validate them. You must also tick the standard EDH box “The person has already signed on paper”, failing which the EDH document will be routed to your supervisor for signature.

4. Questions on who can consult the Skills and Talents Inventory (HRT tool)

4.1. Can I consult my own skills inventory?

You can consult the latest version of your skills inventory in EDH whenever you wish.

However, the best approach is to consult your skills (and all your other personal data) using the HRT tool. Don’t forget to indicate in the menu if applicable: "Access selection" = "PER". [Not yet available on 28-05-2004]

4.2. Who can consult my skills inventory?

Your hierarchical supervisor and his own hierarchical superiors (supervisor, Section Leader, Group Leader, Department Head, etc.).
All the Human Resources Coordinators (HRCs)
All the other Department Heads, although access will be confined to the data relating to your professional category and will exclude details of your career path, salary band and step.
All Group Leaders, but exclusively via the HRC for their respective Department.

4.3. Can I consult other people's skills entries?

You may consult the skills inventories of any person whom you directly or indirectly supervise if you are part of his immediate hierarchy (i.e. as supervisor, Section Leader, Group Leader, Department Head, etc.).
If you are an HRC, you can consult the skills inventories of any member of the personnel.
If you are a Department Head, you can consult the skills inventories of:
- all staff members in your Department,
- staff members in other Departments although access will be confined to the data relating to your professional category and will exclude details of career path, salary band and step.
If you are a Group Leader you can consult the skills entries:
- of all staff members whom you directly or indirectly supervise,
- of staff members in all Departments, but exclusively via the HRC of your Department.

4.4. Will there be access to the field “Details” in which people are entitled to describe their specialisations in greater detail in their own words?

Yes

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