A critical step is to assess the current skills and capabilities of the Aboriginal candidates for your job opportunities and employment initiatives. Only a good assessment will allow you and your partners to focus the training and skill development efforts – so that the right skills are being developed at the right time for the right costs.

A career in construction can start at different points for different people – for some examples, see http://www.aboriginalconstructioncareers.ca/path#start_points.

For examples of career paths into skilled trades, see http://www.aboriginalconstructioncareers.ca/path/craft-level_trades.

Depending on how his or her career has evolved, the worker might have skills, qualifications or experience from another construction trade, or even another sector, that he or she can transfer to the chosen construction trade.

As a result, it would be beneficial to compare the worker’s current skill set against the specific skills required for the trade, as identified above.

Based on this exercise, identify the gaps. Be sure you can clearly answer this common question: What specific skills does the worker still need to acquire?

Follow these steps to assess workers’ current skills. It is the same process whether you are looking at one worker or several.

There are several Essential Skills assessment tools that can be used to assess a worker or apprentice’s skill levels in Reading Text, Document Use and Numeracy. For more information, see HRSDC's Essential Skills Self-Assessment for the Trades, SkillPlan, an initiative of the BC Construction Industry Skills Improvement Council, and TOWES(Test of Workplace Essential Skills). Go to the Construction Sector Council’s site (www.csc-ca.org) and click on “Essential Skills”.
 

Essential skills – areas for improvement:
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____________________________________
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Review the worker’s current knowledge and experience for the construction industry. Using the tools in this workbook, help the worker to

• Assess his or her level of knowledge and skills with respect to the construction industry through a series of self-assessment charts.
• Assess his or her strengths, weaknesses and gaps with respect to specific construction trades.
• Create his or her plan for the future.
• Put together a quality employment portfolio and resumé.

Results of assessment:

Specific skills to be acquired:

Background requirements _________________________________________
Training or certification  _________________________________________
Apprenticeship           _________________________________________