Free Tools

Skills Needs	Gains and Outcomes	Benefits and Impacts	Costs

Why Measure?

The most common reasons that employers use tools to measure skills needs, gains and outcomes, benefits, and costs are:

Gain information to make business decisions about the need for initial and continuing investment in basic skills development
Evaluate the effectiveness of the training in improving skills and closing skills gaps and identify areas for improvement
Understand the full range of direct and indirect financial and other benefits due to WEPs
Gauge the full range of costs associated with WEPs
Evaluate the net benefit through cost-benefit analysis
Determine the return on investment (ROI)

Measuring Skills Needs

Many tools are available to assist employers, and their partners in measuring, assessing and evaluating employees' basic skills needs in the workplace (including literacy skills). They range from simple self-assessment diagnostics to elaborate company-wide 360 degree assessments with associated skills testing.

Measuring Gains and Outcomes

Other tools can help employers measure, assess and evaluate skills gains that come from employee participation in workplace education programs. They come in a comparable range of complexity to the skills needs assessment tools.

Measuring Benefits and Impacts

Tools are available to measure, assess and evaluate direct and indirect economic benefits and impacts of skills development. They range considerably in sophistication and resources required to use them.

Measuring Costs

Tools can also be used to measure the investment of time, money, technology and other resources that may be involved in delivering WEPs. Costs are best considered in relation to the measured benefits and impacts.

The tools linked to the sub-pages, Skills Needs, Gains and Outcomes, Benefits and Impacts and Costs, are downloadable for free at the websites listed.

For problems or questions regarding this web site contact campbell@conferenceboard.ca.
Last updated: March 16, 2001 .