The following guidelines and requirements will allow for the efficient identification of well-qualified candidates for the position of Occupation Specialist, serving as a subject matter specialist with the ACCSC on-site evaluation team.
Occupation Specialist – An individual who represents a specific industry/trade, holds the required credential to legally work in the field, and has a work history that supports an independent “expert” representation of their occupational specialty.
Benefits of Serving as an ACCSC Occupation Specialist
The ability to provide feedback and suggestions regarding current industry trends and workplace expectations to the team and school. Through this feedback, the Occupation Specialist facilitates improved training opportunities that result in a better-prepared workforce.
The opportunity to cultivate a network of professional contacts with school personnel to allow for possible employment opportunities for graduates and a resource of recently trained potential new employees for the employer.
The opportunity to gain professional development and a sense of “giving back” pride in the profession/industry represented by the Occupation Specialist.
ACCSC offers a $124 honorarium as a token of appreciation and reimburses for mileage and lunch upon submission of a fully executed ACCSC expense reimbursement form.
Expectations for an Occupational Specialist
The Occupation Specialist must be willing to spend approximately 2 hours of time per assigned program preparing for the onsite evaluation (i.e. ACCSC training and reading/reviewing materials).
The Occupation Specialist must be willing to spend approximately 2–3 hours of time per program onsite at the school actively reviewing the program during the team’s scheduled evaluation. This review includes touring the facility; reviewing the curriculum, equipment, and training aids utilized for the delivery of the program; determining the adequacy of the learning resource system’s (library) holdings; and commenting on the training program’s overall effectiveness in preparing graduates for entry-level employment in the field of study.
The Occupation Specialist must be willing to complete ACCSC observation/evaluation form and describe his/her observations to the ACCSC on-site evaluation team.
The Occupation Specialist must be willing to attest that he/she has no conflict of interest with the school.
ACCSC on-site evaluation teams are required to include one (1) Occupation Specialist to review each training program or group of related training programs to provide external feedback regarding the occupational field for which training is provided. As such, ACCSC seeks quality Occupation Specialists to participate in this important team role.
As part of the Renewal of Accreditation process, ACCSC requests that the school identify, in accordance with the guidelines below, three (3) to five (5) candidates per program (or group of related programs) that meet or exceed the criteria outlined below.
These individuals must be independent of the school and free of any relationship with the institution beyond that which is typical of a networked professional in the community. In providing candidates, the school will need to attest to the independence of each candidate advanced by the school and to confirm that no incentive was used to obtain the individuals’ permission to be nominated as an Occupation Specialist candidate.
Occupation Specialist Criteria
The school may only provide Occupational Specialist candidates that are “independent” and meet the following criteria:
The Occupational Specialist must meet the following tests to be considered an “independent” evaluator:
The Occupational Specialist cannot be a current or former student of the school.
The Occupational Specialist cannot be a current or former employee of the school.
The Occupational Specialist cannot be affiliated with the school in any way (e.g., Program Advisory Member, adjunct faculty for an affiliated school, etc.).
The Occupational Specialist has no conflict of interest with the school that would compromise his/her ability to give an unbiased evaluation of the school’s program, such as:
He/she cannot have a direct or indirect investment in the outcome of the program evaluation.
He/she cannot have a relationship with anyone at the school that would compromise the integrity of the evaluation.
He/she has not entered into an agreement, formally or informally, with the school that would compromise the integrity of the evaluation.
The Occupational Specialist must be a current working professional in the field/industry in which the school offers a training program.
The Occupational Specialist must hold the necessary required credential/certification/license to represent the industry.
The Occupational Specialist must have at least five years of hands-on work experience in the field/industry.
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