Skills Needs

Workplace basic skills needs, including literacy skills needs, can be measured, assessed and evaluated using a variety of tools.  Experts are available, usually for-fee, to assist employers who seek help with measuring, assessing and evaluating basic 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.

Factors to consider in selecting the right tool for your workplace include:

• Size of training budget

• Cost per employee

• Literacy level of employees

• Degree of employee interest and commitment 

• Time available for evaluation

• Type of skills being assessed

• Union support and co-operation (in unionized environments)

EXPERTS

The American Productivity and Quality Centre takes on custom projects for customers seeking information on a vast range of business processes about process improvement, productivity, and quality. Some areas of expertise include Adult Learning, and employee recruitment and retention. 
    URL: http://www.apqc.org

Workforce Learning Systems Training by CASAS provides businesses with training tools and expertise through workshops that determine employee skill levels and basic skill needs, identify training requirements, develop worksite specific training materials and identify instructional strategies to meet training objectives.
    URL: https://www.casas.org/home/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.showContent&MapID=257

The Employability Competency System by CASAS is a structure for evaluating individual's strengths and weaknesses as they relate to employability competencies.  Matching learner needs to instruction programs and evaluating learner progress and competency gains are also part of the system.
    URL: http://www.casas.org/05Employability/05EmployabilityOverview.cfm

The Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training promotes continuing education and training by accrediting primarily for-profit institutions offering either a vocational/professional development courses or vocational programs of continuing education and training.
     URL: http://www.accet.org/

This article on Skills Gaps discusses how to fit training to the specific needs of the individual employee.
    URL: http://www.workforce.com/archive/feature/22/16/72/223541.php

Employers can ask the following questions of managers, supervisors and HR professionals to assess employees’ skill levels and the impact of skill shortages on the workplace.
    URL: http://www.workforce.com/archive/feature/22/17/40/224015.php

TrainingConsortium is a searchable database of training consultants, speakers and vendors. Detailed listings include industry experience, area of expertise, geography and target audiences. Employers can search for trainers who match their needs and specific criteria.
     URL: http://www.trainingconsortium.com

WorkKeys^®, ACT's system for identifying gaps between job requirements and workforce skills can help improve the workforce. Employers can also use it to identify and develop workers for a wide range of skilled jobs.
     URL: http://www.workkeys.com/

A new Guide for Workforce Development Professionals provides program planners and front-line staff at public and private career centers with an introduction to the steps involved in planning, implementing and improving a system of services that helps job seekers who have limited basic skills to meet workplace skill requirements and get and keep rewarding, financially sustaining jobs.
      LINK: ../pdfs/Guide for Workforce Development Professionals.pdf
               (PDF, 2.06 MB)

Companies join the ASTD Benchmarking Forum to benchmark learning and performance improvement processes, practices, and outcomes against the accomplishments of a worldwide network of members.
     URL: http://www.astd.org/membership/forums/benchmarking/

Training Assessment Kit
Information kit for assessors and workplace trainers on incorporating language, literacy and numeracy skills into Training Packages.
   URL: http://www.anta.gov.au/PUBS/LITERACY/pdfscreen.htm  
    (click on "A New Assessment Tool")

Staffing assessment and testing tools and advice can help employers measure the return on investment of an assessment tool. The formulas will help you gauge the impact of a bad hire, a good hire and turnover to create a more efficient workforce.
     URL: http://www.workforce.com/archive/index.php

Employers can use this sample Training Needs Analysis Report to pinpoint the training needs of staff. The report covers the level of importance of the training, the urgency of the training, and the necessary results.
     URL: http://www.workforce.com/archive/article/23/41/57.php

These tips for hiring an effective trainer can help HR people to  thoroughly evaluate vendors and avoid wasting money on gimmicky training efforts.
     URL: http://www.workforce.com/archive/feature/22/26/14/223471.php

These planning questions will help employers sort out the nuts and bolts of the value of training. The questions, such as who needs training and how training will be assessed, include examples.
     URL: http://www.workforce.com/archive/feature/22/17/10/223931.php

ToolsIndex.com is a free service for Internet visitors to help them find tools-related resources quickly and easily. The section on Skills Tools provides links to skill-building tools for employers and their learning partners.
     URL: http://www.toolsindex.com/skilltool/

Key Survey provides a survey software tool that makes it easy to create a employee skill assessment online. Employers can make use of pre-existing survey templates or create their own employee skill assessment with this survey tool.
     URL: http://www.keysurvey.com

Profiting from Literacy: Creating a Sustainable Workplace
Literacy Program is a recent report that provides information and advice for action to employers working to create, improve and evaluate successful workplace literacy programs.
       Profiting from Literacy (free download)

Education Online Search is a career education portal with more than 400 career and education articles including career descriptions, financial aid tips, advice for adult learners, info on standardized college tests, and more. The site also provides detailed information on hundreds of open admission schools.
     URL: http://www.education-online-search.com/

Senior Service America provides a guide for organizations that assist immigrant seniors entering or re-entering the workforce. Practical advice for working with seniors from culturally diverse backgrounds and on facilitating interactions between immigrant seniors and other staff are included.
     URL: http://www.seniorserviceamerica.org/

CAELA offers a digest on integrating employment skills in adult ESL instruction.
     URL: http://www.cal.org/caela/esl_resources/digests/EskilsQA.html

The Sloan Center on Innovative Training and Workforce Development has developed a Training Manual: "Online Learning Programs for Low Wage Workers within the One-Stop Delivery System".
     URL: http://itwd.rutgers.edu/research/TrainingManual.pdf

This online training tool allows you to create a customized industrial skills assessment test or choose from a growing list of industry-related online assessment tests. Category examples include risk, quality, safety, mechanical, electrical, maintenance and engineering assessments.
http://www.bin95.com/Employee-Training-Assessments/Industrial_Training.php


ARTICLES

Recent research by the National Association of Manufacturers finds that skills shortages are having a widespread impact on manufacturers’ abilities to achieve production levels, increase productivity and meet customer demands.
     URL: http://www.nam.org/s_nam/sec.asp?CID=9&DID=7

Dyslexia at Work: Realising Your Employees' Potential is an article that answers key questions on dyslexia and provides advice to employers on the best ways to create a dyslexia-friendly workplace and to ensure you are meeting key disability legislation.
     URL: http://www.hrzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=184367

For problems or questions regarding this web site contact campbell@conferenceboard.ca.
Last updated: Oct. 24, 2008.