Fundamental Skills Needs Assessment Methods

The present research was conducted in recognition of a growing nationwide shortfall in fundamental job skills, and the potential that this shortfall has for impacting the ability of the Air Force AF to carry out its mission. Future projections reflect the dilemma of a growth in the demand for specialized skills training at a time when a large proportion of the labor market is not expected to have the more fundamental enabling skills required to successfully complete the training. Section 1 provides background information regarding the AF Fundamental Skills project. Section 11 is a discussion of the concept of fundamental skills. It includes a set of criteria for defining this concept. Section III is a discussion of conceptual approaches used for defining fundamental skills. Atheoretical and theoretical approaches are reviewed. Fundamental skills data collection and analysis methods are discussed in Section IV. The authors recommend job analysis as the best approach to identifying fundamental skills. An evaluation of job analysis methods for AF use is provided in Section V. The General Work Inventory GWI emerges as the preferred job analysis technique based on the evaluation criteria proposed. This report concludes with a set of recommendations for continued research in AF related fundamental skills. Basic skills, Basic skills training, Needs assessment, Fundamental skills training, Recruit pool, Job analysis, General work inventoryGWI.