The WSQ Way to Self-improvement

Identifying and addressing knowledge gaps is part and parcel of being a web developer; indeed just about any technical field. I remarked on this last month, and now here's a concrete suggestion. Today, I'd like to cover one of the ways in which developers may find out exactly what knowledge they lack.

In a field as wide and varied as software development, there is a very real danger of specializing too much, or worse; not realizing where the knowledge gaps are in the first place, and what's required by the industry. Because the answer to that question varies depending on who you ask. In cases like these, we need a singularly reliable source of truth - the Government. I'm not saying that I agree with everything the Government pushes, but certification from the Government does mean that if you have such a certification and seek employment in Singapore, there are very few organizations that can argue against your certification. After all, this spec was developed by industry experts and endorsed by the highest authority in the land.

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The Workforce Skills Qualification credential system was set up by the Singapore Government to set up competency frameworks across a variety of industries, so as to improve labor movement and quality control. A few of these frameworks are pertinent to web development - InfoComm and Creative Industries. For today's example, I downloaded a copy of a Competency Unit - Code Scripts to Provide Front-End Functionality for Websites - from the Creative Industries WSQ framework at https://www.skillsconnect.gov.sg/sop/portal/. By referring to this document, if you're a front-end developer, even (or especially) if you're an aspiring one, you may be able to identify areas in which you can shore up your skills and knowledge to meet industry standards.

Here's a breakdown of the spec...

Relevant Job Roles/Occupations
Assumed Skills and Knowledge
Performance Statements

Relevant Job Roles/Occupations

This basically lets you know what roles or occupations would find this relevant. Pretty straightforward there... though I can't say I agree with the term "HTML Programmer". What is this, 1995?!

Assumed Skills and Knowledge

This is a list of ideal prior knowledge for taking up training in this Competency Unit. Meaning, it'll be a whole lot easier for you to learn this Competency Unit if you know this stuff. I'm not sure that these should be optional, though. I mean, if you don't know HTML, CSS or even basic programming, what the hell are you doing trying to code scripts? Most, if not all, scripts manipulate the Document Object Model, which is the product of HTML. Honestly, having no knowledge of HTML while trying to learn scripting, is the software equivalent of attempting the hundred meter dash without learning to walk first.

Performance Statements

A list of items, in no particular order of importance, that someone should be able to demonstrate in order to pass this Competency Unit.

Pay attention to this one. Be honest with yourself as you assess your ability to perform each of these tasks. Anything you're not so great at? Anything you've never heard of at all? These are excellent starting points.

Underpinning Knowledge

Underpinning Knowledge

This is all the knowledge that should be behind the items you have performed above. There is, for example, no sense in writing a HTML page and claiming you know how to write a HTML page when you don't even know what "HTML" stands for. Or being able to write scripts that do stuff, without knowing what the lines in the script do and why they are required.

We've all dealt with those devs before, from time to time we may even be them - they're called "copy-paste programmers".

As in the Performance Statements, what's needed is for you to go through this list and see if there's anything you don't know, then start rectifying your shortfalls from there.

Range of Application

Range of Application

This is about contextualization. Not every tech job requires you to know everything under the Performance Statements and Underpinning Knowledge. For example, not every tech context requires objects... or even loops (though that would be pretty strange). So there are some examples of each Performance Statement and Underpinning Knowledge, of which a subset has to be fulfilled.

Research your competencies!

A tech career is an ongoing progress. The day you stop learning, the day you stop wanting to learn, your career is already dead - you just don't know it yet.

Use the (work)Force, Luke!
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