Entrustable professional activities: a model for job activity competency framework with microcredentials

Abstract

Purpose: Job competency frameworks are based on the listing skills required for a job. The assumption is that if a candidate is presumed to have the skills, then the candidate should be able to do the job. Thus, employers hope to identify prospective employees having the required skills. However, this may differ from knowing whether the employee is ready to be trusted to do the job activities with minimal or no supervision. The authors pose the question how employers might know about the capability of prospective employees to perform the job activities for which the employees are being hired. Design/methodology/approach: In health professions education, a job activity-based framework has been developed called “entrustable professional activities” (EPAs, activities to be entrusted). This paper reviews the job activity framework and EPAs used in medical education, considering how this might support preparation for work in other sectors of the labor market. Findings: The authors describe the EPA framework, some implementation issues and how EPAs lead to a type of microcredential being awarded to individuals as the individuals demonstrate that the individuals can be entrusted with specific job activities. Originality/value: The focus of this paper is to demonstrate that a medical education model could potentially be adopted by other industries to provide employers with information regarding the ability of a prospective employee in performing the job activities required. Such an approach would address employer's concerns about the job readiness of potential employees.