University converting
to career banding system

NC State is implementing a new career banding classification system designed to organize similar work into broad classes of jobs.

Sue Nicolosi, human resources personnel analyst, presented an overview of career banding and the status of the initiative at the November Staff Senate meeting.

Under the plan, a group of jobs that have the same nature of work but require different levels of skill and responsibility are organized into job families. Within each band, specific jobs are classified at three different competency levels – contributing, journey and advanced – that correspond with a worker’s job knowledge, skills and abilities.

The goal of the program is to streamline the current system of job classifications while giving employees the opportunity for career advancement through the different competency levels.

“Currently we have 12 occupational groups with 70 minor occupational groups which comes out to 6,000-plus job descriptions,” Nicolosi said. “That is enormous. I’ve never worked in an organization where there were that many job descriptions. We also have 47 salary grades. Twenty is normal.”

Only two departments have gone through the career banding process, Nicolosi said. Campus police implemented banding in July 2003, and the Information Technology Division completed the banding process this past May.

In the IT division, 50-plus job titles were reduced to 13 broader titles. Eleven titles were grouped under one Information Technology Support Technician Band. Each of the 11 former titles were assigned to one of the three competency levels. For example, Computer Support Technician I positions were classified at the contributing level, Computer Support Technician II positions were classified at the journey level and Computer Support Technician III positions were classified at the advanced level.

The banding system is driven by the different competency levels, which outline skills, abilities and behaviors at each level, Nicolosi said. The competency levels also encourage employees to engage in career planning and development in order to advance to the next levels.

“Management is going to work with you, but you have are going to have a key role as well,” Nicolosi said.

Pay scales will also be based on competency levels within each band.
Jon Barnwell, past chair of the Staff Senate, who works in the campus police department said his experience with the banding process was positive.

“Career banding is a great thing because it gives you a career ladder,” he said. “It gives you a development phase that maps out what you need to do to go forward within your department.”

Clerical and administrative support positions are scheduled to be banded in the summer or fall of 2005. Skilled trade and service positions are also scheduled to be banded in 2005.

Posted November 30, 2004

Return to the Bulletin homepage