SRCF / proficiency

Proficiency levels

Every competency unit carries observable indicators at three levels. The calibration rules below are fixed across the framework, so a level means the same thing in every domain.

Level 1 · Foundation

CAL-L1-01

Performs a defined and relatively standard task using specified sources, criteria, templates or methods and appropriate supervision.

CAL-L1-02

Identifies obvious errors, missing information, limits of competence and conditions requiring review or escalation.

Level 2 · Practitioner

CAL-L2-01

Performs the competency independently in a moderately complex context and is accountable for the quality and documentation of the workstream.

CAL-L2-02

Resolves routine ambiguity and exceptions, coordinates relevant contributors and escalates novel, high-risk or specialist matters.

Level 3 · Advanced Practitioner

CAL-L3-01

Designs or critically reviews methods, governance or operating models across complex, novel, contested or high-risk contexts.

CAL-L3-02

Leads challenge, resolves significant conflicts, supervises others and advises management or governance bodies on risk, quality and boundaries.

Reading the ladder honestly

Foundation is not a beginner's tier. It is where anyone starts in a unit they have not yet worked in — experienced practitioners sit at Foundation across whole domains outside their day-to-day work, and that is an ordinary profile, not a verdict on a career.

Level 3 is not a universal target either. Target levels are set per role, in the units that role is accountable for, and they are not spread evenly: across the 6 role profiles, one carries no Level 3 target at all, while another is defined at Level 3 in 64 of its 81 units. Read your targets from your role profile, not from this ladder.

A self-assessment against these levels is a private working baseline for development planning — it is not a status and confers none.

Evidence and assessment calibration

The same rule set fixes what counts as evidence of a level, and how a level may be assessed once assessment exists.

Evidence

CAL-EV-01

Evidence should identify the reporting context, source and criteria, work performed, judgement, output, review, version and limitations.

All levels · A polished final document without the underlying process and decision trail is insufficient where the unit requires judgement.

CAL-EV-02

Use at least two evidence dimensions where feasible: work product plus process, review or observed-performance evidence.

Practitioner and Advanced · Self-assessment and course attendance are supplementary, not primary evidence of competence.

CAL-EV-03

Evidence should reflect current requirements, methods, tools and role context and identify any superseded elements.

Currency · Currency periods should later be calibrated by role and rapidly changing subject matter.

Assessment

CAL-AS-01

Knowledge examinations may test concepts and boundaries but cannot by themselves establish Level 2 or Level 3.

Knowledge testing · Scoring rubrics should separate technical accuracy, application, judgement, evidence and communication.

CAL-AS-02

Practitioner assessment should normally include a source-based case, controlled work product or simulation with incomplete or conflicting information.

Integrated cases · The candidate should explain decisions, limitations and escalation, not merely produce the expected template.

CAL-AS-03

Advanced assessment should include method design or critical review, high-risk or novel issues and oral or observed defence.

Advanced cases · Portfolio evidence requires authentication, role attribution and confidentiality controls.

CAL-AS-04

H.1–H.6 require scenario and observed or defended evidence; the proposed non-compensable behaviours cannot be averaged away by technical scores.

Professional conduct · Failure, remediation, due process, appeals and suspension rules require separate legal and psychometric approval.

CAL-AS-05

Tool and AI assessments should use controlled environments, authorised data, retained prompts or instructions where material, verification tasks and human-decision evidence.

Digital and AI · A vendor certificate or prompt-writing exercise alone is not evidence of responsible reporting competence.

Growth is vertical · Foundation to Advanced Practitioner

Per-unit indicators live on each unit page — for example A.1.