learning pathways – specialism of genericism

Really interesting post here from Pontydysgu on the European Qualifications Framework (EQF). In particular, the post highlights some of the issues of privileging certain types of (generic) expertise over specialisations. The example is of managerial competences being given a higher status than some specialist ones within the EQF in relation to trainers/ L&D professionals. The post points out the reality of people’s career paths shifting up and down and sideways yet the EQF assuming a linear progression is an interesting one for me. I’ve been on the management progression curve but I found it far less satisfying than having deep and specific knowledge in a specific domain (and I think being away from the specialism made me a much less good manager). The current CIPD professional standards seem to replicate the linear logic of progression towards a genericised “strategic operator” (altho’ these standards are being reviewed and revised at the mo’). I have a preference for the ASTD competences framework showing pathways of progression into technical expertise of one sort or another as well as managerialist strategic operators.