Colleagues:
 
The following two posts relate to the discussion on WorkKeys.  Our
discussion on the Assessment List was posted on the Workplace Literacy
List with a request for any feedback.  If there are more posts regarding
WorkKeys, I will forward these as well.
 
Marie Cora
Assessment Discussion List Moderator
 
**********
 
-----Original Message-----
From: workplace-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:workplace-bounces at nifl.gov] On
Behalf Of David Reeves
Sent: Thursday, January 18, 2007 2:38 PM
To: The Workplace Literacy Discussion List
Subject: [Workplace 563] Re: Work-readiness as it relates to academic
skills(atthe levels of CASAS and TABE or WorkKeys),technical skills and
that third area - what kind of workerwillsomeone be? What are the
person's soft skills.
 
 Alan, I like the broad picture - some questions 1. Could you give some
examples of some specific common soft skills that go to make up the
broad domain/competency area of the soft skills set? ?  2.  What do you
mean when you say that the assessment is ok - which tests do you think
do a good job of validly assessing soft skills? Thanks for your posting
 
  _____  

From: workplace-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:workplace-bounces at nifl.gov] On
Behalf Of Alan Lesure
Sent: Wednesday, January 17, 2007 1:24 PM
To: workplace at nifl.gov
Subject: [Workplace 558] Work-readiness as it relates to academic skills
(atthe levels of CASAS and TABE or WorkKeys),technical skills and that
third area - what kind of worker willsomeone be? What are the person's
soft skills.
 
In the following, I'd like to add a perspective to recent discussions re
WorkKeys for ABLELearners and, perhaps, broaden the scope of this
discussion. Our organization's focus is soft skills and our basic
premise is that:
 
1.    Every job involves 3 sets of competencies:
*	Academic skills 
*       Technical/occupational skills 
*       Workplace behaviors or soft skills 
       People need adequate or job-defined levels of each of these skill
sets.
 
There is relatively little objective measurement of people's workplace
behaviors in most ABE courses and, therefore, there is relatively little
focus on developing these skills. This is unfortunate because the very
best way to develop soft skills is through their integration into
academic (ABE/GED, etc.) and career courses. Soft skill assessment is
easy - current technology has done it fairly, validly and predictively
millions of times. Developing soft skills, changing people's behavior
falls under the category of heavy lifting and this is the focus of much
of our work with workforce professionals.
 
2.      Different jobs require different levels of soft, academic and
technical skills. 
 
3.    It is helpful to know learners' competency levels (for academic,
technical and soft skills) at the start of a program so that, by
post-assessment, one can determine the extent to which soft skills have
been enhanced.
 
Our approach to certificates, credentials and transcripts is summarized
as follows:
 
*         An effective certificate provides good and credible
information as to what people know and can do.  Hiring organizations can
often compensate if an individual does not have a particular skill set -
but they must know what these competencies are. Employers may hire
individuals because they value the skills that have been demonstrated,
even if the applicant failed to demonstrate competence in all areas.  
*         Failing to credential an individual who may have failed to
demonstrate competence in one or a few selected areas covered by a broad
certificate is wasteful and may create an unnecessary employment barrier
for an otherwise employable individual.
*         Different jobs require different skills and skill levels.
Indeed, the same job title in one organization may require relatively
low levels of certain skills, while a higher level of performance may be
required by the same job in a different firm.
*         A one-size certificate does not fit all because it does not
respond to local, regional or national realities. Certificates work best
when they exist in an environment that provides changing and current
information about local employers' needs.  Skills required this year by
an organization might not match those needed next year. Certificates,
like employers' requirements, must be responsive to changing conditions.
 
Finally, certificates are most effective - and most portable - when they
encourage and record individuals' skills growth over time. Our approach
to assessment places heavy emphasis on employers - in three ways:
 
1.       Benchmarking:  This process engages the employer in identifying
soft, academic and/or technical skills specific to jobs available within
their industry or company.  Resulting information enables workforce
providers to tailor training programs to the unique needs of the
industry/employer/job.
 
2.       Selection: People with clear evidence of the alignment of their
skills with those sought by the employer can move more quickly - and
less expensively - through the application processes.
 
3.       Post-employment: It is the rare individual who has all of the
skills needed for a particular job. Probationary periods provide an
opportunity for supervisors to work with new hires to develop specific
skill sets.  Both the employer and the employee benefit from reduced
turnover and improved supervisor performance.
 
 
Systematically including soft skills benefits all workforce stakeholders
in the following ways:
 
For youth and other job seekers
 
*	A realistic job preview:  Video- or DVD- or Internet-based
assessment creates more realistic job expectations for employees, thus
increasing the likelihood of job satisfaction
*	Training and development needs are specific and objective
*	An understanding of their current skills sets in comparison with
those required of jobs in the community:  future workers receive data on
their skills gap that must be closed to qualify for specific jobs
*	A clear competitive advantage as they enter the job market armed
with clear and documented evidence of their specific soft skills 
*	Finally, with unique insight into their own skill development
needs, they can provide employers and supervisors with clear and
specific information for planning on-the-job training and development.
For workforce professionals
 
*	Pre-and post-assessment data measures the effectiveness of work
readiness training and development.  
*	Continuous program improvement can be based on performance data
that demonstrates the extent to which internal and external programs are
enabling individuals to move from pre-assessed soft skill levels to
post-assessment.  Effective programs develop people whose skills
approximate employers' benchmarked specifications.
*	The ability to deliver customized applicant referrals and
retention support strengthens and enhances relationships with employers
and positions workforce development organizations to be perceived as a
valuable business development resource.
And, for those that hire
 
*	Benchmarking incumbent workers' soft skills enables the
establishment of clearer "specs;" employers and those providing
applicants know the soft skills required - skills that result in better
job matching and reduced turnover. 
*	Benchmarking is also a reality check: are incumbents as
effective as they need to be.
*	Less time devoted to selection
*	Increased productivity by selecting candidates who have the
greatest likelihood of success on-the-job
*	Accuracy in identifying the developmental needs of incumbent
workers.  Developmental resources are more efficiently used when video
assessments pinpoint the specific strengths and training needs of
individuals, groups, departments, regions or entire organizations 
*	Post-employment information and support for supervisors of entry
level workers that enables them to effectively coach and develop new
workers - during probation and long-term.  Supervisors become more
effective.
*	Reduced turnover
*	Connection to a complementary HR resource within the community
that is aligned with employers' needs
Using the above as an organizing framework for workforce and economic
development in a community is, I believe, a somewhat new and harmonizing
approach that complements other efforts to document what individuals
know and can do. 
 
I appreciate the opportunity to share this information with this
Discussion List and would be pleased to respond to questions these ideas
may prompt.
 
Alan Lesure
Learning Resources
alesure at learning-resources.com
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Alan B. Lesure, President
Learning Resources, Inc.
1117 E. Putnam Avenue, # 260
Riverside, CT 06878
 
Phone: 203-637-5047
Fax:     203-637-2786
E-Mail: alesure at learning-resources.com
 
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