Career Assessment Reports What’s in them? How do I “read” this information? What can I do with this?

Primary Parts of a Career Assessment The Big Three Interests Aptitudes Ability From these you can get PINS

(Additional Sections) Informal Interview Functional academic skills Learning/Working Preferences Work behaviors/Behavioral observations Vision/Hearing Screening Communication status Employability skills Recommendations Summary May also include (Additional Sections) ...and more

Information Gathering The focus is... Information Gathering Assessments must be: Objective Normed Delivered in a standardized manner Assessment results may be: Ranked (highest, lowest) Expressed as Standard Scores Expressed as Percentiles Expressed as Grade Levels Rated (Below Avg, Average, Above Average) Other activities may: Include behavioral observations Express subjective ratings Reflect students’ self ratings

Background Information Current school Attendance rate Work Experience & Hobbies Career goal(s) May also include: Physical/Medical info Mental/Emotional info Credits earned Qualifications for Special Ed* Background Information Generally, the first section *May NOT be used to exclude a student from a program!

Working conditions Learning environment Types of work Personality type Assessments that may be used: Piney Mountain Learning/Working Styles Inventory Vocational Implications of Personality (TAP) Preferences This information may also be obtained through informal interview or a work sheet-style activity. Working conditions Learning environment Types of work Personality type

Interests Stated vs. Tested Stated interests - Student statement obtained in the initial interview process. Tested interests - Obtained through a standardized interest inventory. Stated vs. Tested

Obtained with a standardized interest inventory (assessment) Examples: Ohio Means Jobs Career Scope Interest Inventory PIC Pathfinder MECA Interest Inventory Ideas Interest Survey PICS (Picture Interest Career Survey) Valpar Interest Inventory ...and many more Tested Interests Obtained with a standardized interest inventory (assessment)

Tested Interests Results Results are reported USUALLY in the form of: Career Pathways Career Clusters Career Interest Areas Reports should include a description of the interest areas with the highest rating by the student. Results

Tested Interests: Report Examples See Warren County Career Center Sample CAR page 2 See South-Western City Schools Sample CAR page 2 See EHOVE Career Center Sample CAR page 3 Results are reported based on strongest or highest areas of interest AND a description of each of those career clusters or pathways is given.

Tested Interests: Interpreting the Information EXAMPLE *Just because a student indicates high interest in Protective does NOT mean they need to go into Law Enforcement or the Military. *Protective = An interest in using authority to protect people and property *Discuss: What jobs have your students had that might incorporate this type of interest?

Assessments that may be used: Career Scope Aptitude Assessment Valpar Pro Aptitude Assessment Aviator (also from Valpar) Results are reported by ranking Below Average - Average - Above Average Low - Average - High Scale from 5 - 1 with 1 being highest And with Standard Scores Aptitudes A person’s natural abilities; the areas in which a person has the greatest potential for development.

Aptitudes: What is measured 6 Areas General Learning Ability - Ability to understand instructions and underlying principles; the ability to reason and make judgements. How quickly and easily students pick up and use new information. Verbal - Ability to understand meanings of words and use them effectively; ability to comprehend language; understand relations between words and meaning of whole sentences and paragraphs. Reading and reading comprehension Numerical - Ability to perform mathematical operations quickly and accurately. Math Calculation

Aptitudes: What is measured 6 Areas Spatial - Ability to think visually of geometric forms and comprehend two- dimensional representations of three-dimensional objects; ability to recognize the relationships resulting from movements of objects in space. The relationship of any object in space to anything else around it. Relative size, movement, potential impact on things around it. Chess. Form Perception - Ability to perceive pertinent detail in objects or pictorial materials. Ability to make visual comparisons and discrimination and to see differences in shapes, shades and widths. What’s different about these two pictures?

Aptitudes: What is measured 6 Areas Clerical Perception - Ability to perceive detail in verbal and tabular material. Ability to observe differences in copy, proofread words and numbers and avoid perceptual errors in arithmetic computations. Motor Coordination, Finger Dexterity, and Manual Dexterity - May also show up in the reported information as part of the Aptitude Profile. These are “plugged in” from other hands-on assessments, or may not be included at all.

Aptitudes: Interpreting the Information Reports generate a list of jobs that fit the student’s results/profile This does NOT mean that these are the student’s ONLY job recommendations or that these are the ONLY jobs the student is suited for! Results should be viewed as a PART of the student’s overall profile when considering career technical training programs. Example: South-Western City Schools Sample CAR page 4

Tested Ability Academic and Physical Academic assessments that may be used: Woodcock Johnson Pearson Math and/or Reading Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) Functional academic assessments And many more Physical assessments that may be used: Skills Assessment Modules TAPs (Talent Assessment Program) Auditory Directions Screener Vision and/or Hearing Screening Tested Ability Academic and Physical

Standard and Functional Standard testing results may include: Basic Reading Reading Comprehension Reading Fluency Math Calculation/Computation Math Problem Solving or Applied Math skills Functional testing results may include: Telling time Measurement Money skills Academic Ability Standard and Functional

May also be an aptitude screener Results often reflect these abilities: Color Discrimination Shape Discrimination Size Discrimination Clerical/Verbal Clerical/Numerical Fine Motor Skills Form Perception Motor Coordination Number Discrimination Following Written Instructions Following Diagrammed Instructions Physical Ability May also be an aptitude screener

Employability or Worker Characteristics Reports may rate the following: Appearance/Hygiene Communication Skills Following rules/standards Endurance Initiative Interpersonal skills Focus/Attention Productivity Attitude Safety Quality of work ...and many more Employability or Worker Characteristics Subjective in nature Evaluated by staff