Skills assessment

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Every year, March of Dimes Employment Services helps hundreds of people with disabilities assess their job prospects through professional vocational assessments. We also provide employment placement and on-the-job supports.

TRANSFERABLE SKILLS ANALYSISASSESSMENT DESCRIPTIONA Transferable Skills analysis (TSA) is used to determine suitable vocational goals for an individual by identifying the skills they have developed though past employment. An interest test is also administered and information regarding any physical limitations is factored into the job goal recommendations. The TSA assessment is useful or those who have very limited opportunity for retaining new skills and must rely mainly on skills already developed for a new occupation.

OUTCOME OF THE ASSESSMENTThe objective of a TSA is to identify suitable and realistic occupational options for the client based on their past employment and educational history and personal interests. The resulting assessment report will contain:

• Identifi cation of job goals that require no additional training or experiential learning (on the job training);

• Wage information for each job; and

• Recommendations for moving the vocational rehabilitation process forward.

ASSESSMENT LENGTHThe client attends a 2 to 3 hour assessment. The report will be completed within 5 business days.

ASSESSOR CREDENTIALSRegistered Rehabilitation Professional (RRP) who is specifi cally trained on the Valpar Pro 3000 assessment system.




VOCATIONAL ASSESSMENTASSESSMENT DESCRIPTIONA vocational assessment evaluates and identifi es suitable and realistic vocations for a client through a standardized testing process. A vocational assessment incorporates medical, psychological, social, vocational, educational, cultural, and economic data. The vocational assessment assesses the client’s interests, aptitudes, intellectual and learning abilities and takes into consideration the client’s functional abilities, transferable skills, education, work history and pre-injury earnings when identifying realistic and suitable vocational options for consideration

OUTCOME OF THE ASSESSMENTThe objective of a vocational assessment is to identify suitable and realistic occupational options for the client. The assessment will (as applicable) confi rm if the client currently has the requisite level of education, aptitude, skills, abilities and function to perform the identifi ed job. The resulting assessment report will contain occupations that may require:

• No additional training;

• Experiential learning (training on the job);

• Short term skills enhancement (e.g. computer skills training orEssential Skills Training);

• Short term upgrading (e.g. ESL, Academic Upgrading); and/or

• Short term vocation specifi c training (e.g. public community or private career college).

• Current wage range information from government sources.

ASSESSMENT LENGTHThe client will attend the assessment for approximately 6 hours over one or two day scheduled to accommodate the physical tolerance of the individual. The report will be completed and available within 5 business days of the assessment completion.

ASSESSOR CREDENTIALSA vocational evaluation is completed by a Certifi ed Vocational Evaluator (CVE) or a Registered Rehabilitation Professional (RRP) with a minimum of 5 years of vocational evaluation experience.




PSYCHO-VOCATIONAL ASSESSMENTASSESSMENT DESCRIPTIONA psycho-vocational assessment (PVA) addresses all aspects of a vocational evaluation. It also evaluates the client’s learning competencies, general personality characteristics, current emotional status, general intelligence quotient, motivation and social skills to identify the potential impact of these metrics on the client’s ability to participate in training and return to work. The PVA is particularly useful for determining potential for success when considering skills retraining, longer-term educational programs or if the client has emotional or pain concerns.

OUTCOME OF THE ASSESSMENTThe outcome of the psycho-vocational assessment is to identify suitable and realistic occupational options for the client including wage information and market availability for each identifi ed goal. To achieve the occupational options identifi ed a client may require little or no additional training or a longer term vocation specifi c training through a college or apprenticeship program for example.

ASSESSMENT LENGTHThe client attends a one or two day assessment of up to 8 hours that accommodates their individual physical tolerances. The report will be completed in 5 business days.

ASSESSOR CREDENTIALSA Certifi ed Psychologist conducts or oversees the clinical testing, reviews the assessment results and recommendations and makes relevant recommendations. The Psychologist may be assisted by a Registered Rehabilitation Professional or psychological associate.




LABOUR MARKET SURVEYSERVICE DESCRIPTIONThe Labour Market Survey involves contacting local employers, as well as researching other sources of labour market information to determine the local availability specifi c job goals as identifi ed by the referral agent. The resulting report documents the availability of one to three job goals identify for/by the client. The Labour Market Survey is a possible next step after a Transferrable Skills Analysis, Vocational Assessment or Psycho-Vocational Assessment.

OUTCOME OF THE SERVICE

• An average of 5 employer contacts per job goal will be contacted to assess current and future hiring needs, skill and knowledge requirements, pay rates and academic requirements.

• Additional labour market information is researched using a variety of primary and secondary sources.

SERVICE LENGTHThe client does not need to attend a meeting for this service. The report will be completed within 10 business days of the referral.

ASSESSOR CREDENTIALSA Registered Rehabilitation Professional (RRP) will conduct the Labour Market Survey.




FUNCTIONAL ABILITIES EVALUATIONASSESSMENT DESCRIPTIONA Functional Abilities Evaluation (FAE) provides information on an individual’s current physical functional level. It is a comprehensive assessment that evaluates abilities relative to the person’s work demands or activities of daily living. Having knowledge of a client’s functional abilities facilitates effective planning for a return to work. The physical demands analysis, job analysis and/or home site assessment information must be provided upon referral if the inquiry is regarding an individual’s ability to perform a specifi c job or to activities of daily living.

OUTCOME OF THE ASSESSMENT

The assessment has three components:

• An interview with the client which review s and confi rms referral and additional background information.

• Functional abilities testing where a clinician uses an evaluation system (often computerized) and, where applicable, job specifi c or occupational testing.

• Interpretation of the test results which will provide recommendations for moving the vocational rehabilitation process forward.

ASSESSMENT LENGTH

The client attends for approximately 6 hours.

ASSESSOR CREDENTIALSThe FAE is performed by a Certifi ed Kinesiologist or Occupational Therapist using either standardized methods and equipment and/or computerized assessment tools.

Documents

Skills assessment