Workplace Readiness

Specific Competencies and Skills Tested in this Assessment:

 

Communication:  Communicate in multiple modes to address needs within the career technical field

• Apply strategies to enhance effectiveness of all types of communications in the workplace
• Apply reading strategies as needed for a variety of purposes
• Evaluate information contained in documents
• Apply basic communication skills when writing
• Write technical materials
• Develop presentations using appropriate technologies (e.g., tables, charts, and visual graphics)
• Apply oral communication skills
• Deliver presentations
• Apply active listening skills
• Apply nonverbal communication skills
• Communicate with others in a workforce of diversity (e.g., age, ethnicity, religion, gender)
• Share information using a range of appropriate communications technologies

 

Problem Solving and Critical Thinking:  Solve problems using critical thinking

• Define the problem
• Analyze the problem
• Research reliable information relevant to the problem
• Investigate alternatives based on reasoned criteria
• Identify appropriate solutions
• Make recommendations
• Implement solutions
• Evaluate solutions

 

Information Technology Applications:  Apply information technology resources in the workplace

• Identify efficient, effective, and ethical uses of technology in the workplace
• Use information technology tools to access, manage, integrate, and create new information
• Use writing/publishing/presentation applications

 

Systems:  Work within organizational culture and technological systems

• Demonstrate an understanding of how business and industry systems function within the economy
• Demonstrate an understanding of the functions of systems in an organization (e.g., management, human resources, production and services)
• Demonstrate principles of internal/external customer service
• Apply industry quality standards and practices

 

Safety, Health and Environment:  Ensure safe and healthful working conditions

• Ensure safe working conditions
• Demonstrate safe use of tools and equipment
• Ensure healthful working conditions
• Practice environmental conservation and safety

 

Leadership and Teamwork:  Enhance work outcomes through leadership, management, and teamwork

• Demonstrate leadership skills
• Organize work
• Apply management techniques
• Demonstrate group process techniques
• Perform work tasks in a team

 

Ethics and/or Legal Responsibilities:  Practice professional, ethical, and legal behavior consistent with workplace standards

• Apply professional and ethical standards to workplace conduct
• Adhere to established laws, policies, and procedures

Employability and/or Career Development:  Progress on a purposeful career path through application of employability skills

• Develop a career plan
• Seek employment
• Apply for employment
• Evaluate job offers
• Demonstrate employability skills needed to keep a job
• Demonstrate personal qualities appropriate to the work environment
• Assess alternative occupational opportunities (e.g., working conditions, benefits, and opportunities for change)

Written Assessment:

Administration Time: 90 minutes
Number of Questions: 90

Areas Covered:

Communications: 24%

Problem Solving and Critical Thinking: 19%

Informational Technology Applications: 8%

Systems: 9%

Safety, Health, and Environment: 9%

Leadership and Teamwork: 11%

Ethics and/or Legal Responsibilities: 6%

Employability and/or Career Development: 14%

 

Sample Questions:

The purpose of an executive summary in a long report is to provide

1. an introduction
2. background information
3. key decision points
4. a document that only executives may read

 

A small company has a contract to conduct a project.  The three employees assigned to the project are making too many mistakes.  They complain to Dave, the owner, that they can’t understand the documentation of the data, that the model they are using seems complex, and that they’ve never worked on a project like this before.  One of the employees is scheduled to leave on vacation next week, and Dave himself has to take a day off to drive across state to his son’s wedding. Dave is afraid he will lose money by not finishing the contract on time.  What is the problem that Dave needs to address?

1. employee vacation
2. son’s wedding
3. employee inexperience
4. employee morale

 

Warren wants to collect data on the number of sales per day for a month in order to compare the average number of sales for each day of the week.  He wants to be able to sort the data and prepare a graph of the data. Which of the following would best meet his needs?

1. word processor
2. spreadsheet
3. database
4. file manager

 

Which of the following is unethical behavior for a salesperson?

1. telling a customer that the low-price item they want is unavailable so they will have to buy a more expensive product
2. finding out what types of products the customer likes so you can show the things they will be more likely to buy
3. negotiating a price with the customer who does not wish to pay the “list price”
4. emphasizing only the best features of a product during the sales presentation

 

Employers rate basic employability skills as a top factor in choosing which applicants to hire.  Employability skills include verbal communication, conflict management, and

1. doing math computations on the job
2. former jobs
3. workplace policy
4.  taking responsibility for the job