professions and the medical, mental, social and technical conditions required to practicing
them. Within the science, the occupational profile methodology represents a first rank
objective.
Theoretical background
A simple description in the beginning, the professional monograph has acquired today the
characteristics of “a complex and integral study of a profession, created by a team of
specialists in various fields aiming at a multilateral analysis of the profession from the
point of view of its requirements (medical, psychological, ergonomic, pedagogical,
sociological, etc.) and counter-indications” (Tom şa, 1996).
The content of a professional monograph refer to: object of work, social and economic
aspects, specificity of work, means, materials and equipments used, work conditions,
characteristics of the effort, indications and counter-indications. “Conclusions are written
down in tables of what should and should not be done, from a psychological, medical,
pedagogical point of view. Thus we move from the analytical aspect to the type of
personality required in a profession” (Dictionary of pedagogy, 1979). Main source of
inspiration for the occupational profile, the professional monograph is a more ample,
detailed, and scientifically rigorous instrument, although less used in practice.
Occupational profiles present synthetically, the same elements as a monograph, but are
much more operative and easier to consult (only 2-4 pages).
Another element of difference contained in a monograph is the professiogram , which is
“a scientific document of normative value, including physiological, medical,
psychological and social requirements of a profession” (Tom şa, 1996) that may exist
independently, as tables or graphs. Occupational profiles have partially taken over
elements (professional and medical) of a professiogram. Some extended monographs
include psychograms; these are graphic representations of the results obtained by a
subject in different psychometric tests he or she has undergone, or diagrams with the
distribution on a scale of the mental performance, traits, and capacities. Such data do not
appear in an occupational profile.
It has to be made a distinction between the content of a profile and that of an
occupational standard, which “signifies quantitative and qualitative landmarks to
indicate the possibility to satisfactorily perform the tasks implied by a job, units and
elements of competence, accomplishment and assessment criteria. In 1999, the Romanian
qualification authority, COSA – The Council for Occupational Standards and Assessment
had the mission of creating a new system of professional competence assessment and
certification based on occupational standards” (Jigău, 2001). COSA considers that
“professional competence represents the capacity to apply, transfer and combine
knowledge and skills in various work situations and environments.”