Handout # 11: NEEDS ANALYSIS - Instruments For Surveying Local Workforce Needs
Listed in no particular order and numbered for convenient reference only; an * asterisk indicates that the instrument is a valuable resource

Description - Objectives - Cost - Availability

Medium - Measures

Special Features and/or Strengths

Limitations - Comments - Concerns

1. Workplace Job Specific Skills Programs: The How-To-Do-It Manual * Whitfield, Hinshaw, and Moore, 1997. Published by Steck Vaughn. 1-800-531-5015 or www.steck-vaughn.com. $136.50 A comprehensive resource for planning and implementing work-related basic skills programs, this manual provides a detailed, step-by-step process for establishing quality programs. It focuses on strengthening providers' skills in determining employers' needs as well as those of potential or incumbent employees. The manual assists the user in identifying literacy, math, language and communications, and critical thinking and problem-solving skills needed in the work place. Survey of employers' needs can be completed informally and in a rather short period of time, provided a detailed job task analysis is not required. Education/training service provider must have access to company materials, staff, and the work setting.

Provides reproducible forms and templates for reports, partnership agreements, interviews with employers and employees, priority planning, curriculum development, and evaluation. Most findings presented in rather informal format, but with suggestions that these be accompanied by more formal, complex needs analyses if deemed necessary, and if time and cost are not issues.

Promotes a team approach to designing a program, stressing the importance of strong management support and involvement. Includes both employers and employees in needs analysis and acknowledges both informal and formal approaches to needs assessment. Discusses logistics and configuration of instruction based on employer's and employees' needs (class sizes, times, and length of instruction); record keeping and confidentiality; attendance and evaluation of learner progress and program effectiveness. An inexpensive and excellent primer for education service providers new to or inexperienced in delivering workplace education programs. Reproducible templates and forms save time and expense and are easily adapted. Comes in a three-ring binder that allows user to add additional resources and aids.

Generic nature does not address specific needs of limited English proficient learners per se, although the format used makes the product easily adaptable in the hands of experienced ESL practitioners. Some sections make assumptions about the user's knowledge base re: adult education and occupational training. Introduction and use of this instrument would be greatly enhanced if accompanied by training of potential service providers as well as partners, funding sources, entities with oversight responsibility.

Description - Objectives - Cost - Availability

Medium - Measures

Special Features and/or Strengths

Limitations - Comments - Concerns

2. Teaching Basic Skills in the Workplace: Instructor Handbook * Cozzolino, 1999. Workplace Learning Resource Center, San Diego Community College District. 619-624-2276 or www.workplace-eti.com $50.00 A workbook and CD-ROM that provides education service providers and instructors with a training package focusing on critical workplace issues. While preparation for successful instructional delivery in the workplace is the predominant objective of this product, it includes a section designed to assist service providers (and their instructors) in assessing the needs of the workplace. The integration of text with CD-ROM enables staff to work through the training as a group or individually, with facilitation by a staff development specialist.

Includes guidelines for performing a literacy audit, a sample employee needs survey, checklists, and guidelines for reporting the findings of the needs analysis.

Assumes that users are new to workplace education and leaves nothing to chance. Begins by defining workplace literacy and providing a solid, consistent basis for adult learning, partnerships, and work-related instruction. Training of providers and instructors is accomplished through discussion, assigned readings, critical thinking and problem-posing activities, application, and additional resources. Inexpensive enough to be made available to every education service provider and instructor. Excellent cross-training tool for use with other workforce development stakeholders. Spiral-bound and an excellent desk reference. Provides a checklist for a tour of the workplace as well as a review of work-related printed materials.

Really designed to prepare instructional staff for success in workplace education programs. Chapter 3 is the only section devoted to workforce needs assessment but is quite detailed in nature. Not focused on limited English proficiency and vocational training, but easily adapted in the hands of a professional development specialist with ESL experience.

Description - Objectives - Cost - Availability

Medium - Measures

Special Features and/or Strengths

Limitations - Comments - Concerns

3. Literacy in the Workplace Kit *National Alliance of Business Publications, 1995, Annapolis Junction, Maryland. 1-800-787-2848. $45.00. This kit includes the tools needed to promote and develop a workplace literacy/basic skills education program. In addition to The Workbook for Program Developers and Working Smarter, a video and decision makers' guide, the kit includes a Productivity Check-up to assess and quantify indicators of low literacy in the workplace. Designed for human resource development and management professionals, this step-by-step package provides techniques on tailoring literacy programs to meet the specific needs of a company.

Reproducible charts and checklists for use in conducting a literacy audit and developing a program in response to the needs. Step-by-step instructions on how to use forms and interpret findings.

Part of a series of publications by the National Alliance of Business, other resources are available that would be of use to all workforce development stakeholders: Workplace Literacy Product Checklist for evaluating the appropriateness of literacy products (workplace literacy guidebooks, curricula, instructional series, and computer-based instruction), and a Workplace Literacy Interview Guide for selecting effective service providers. Inexpensive and developed with businesses and employers in mind, these are excellent tools for cross-training of all partners and stakeholders in workforce development. Also available for purchase: Making the Employer Connection: A Toolkit for One-Stops

Not focused on limited English proficiency although definitely adaptable. Strong on business interests but rather weak presentation of instructional approaches and methods. Would need to be accompanied by training and tailored to specific needs of targeted communities.

Description - Objectives - Cost - Availability

Medium - Measures

Special Features and/or Strengths

Limitations - Comments - Concerns

4. Literacy At Work: The Workbook For Program Developers *. Simon and Schuster, Workplace Resources, New Jersey. 1-800-223-2336 (ph) or 1-800-445-6991 (fax). $200.00 A valuable resource for employers developing in-house programs or who are working with outside vendors or education providers to meet the needs of employees. Also appropriate for use by training managers, technical trainers and education providers, and program developers.

Detailed information on developing and using the functional context approach to implement workplace literacy programs. Step-by-step process with practice and application activities. Marketing kit, video, training seminars, curriculum writing institutes, instructor training workshops, and consultation also available.

Detailed instructions on how to develop workplace literacy program activities and materials. Instructions on how to develop a functional context curriculum. "Try it and Apply it" section allows for user practice. Partnership with the National Alliance of Business, publisher of additional workplace education program implementation materials. National Alliance of Business offers training, marketing materials and consultation services to organizations planning or developing workplace literacy programs. 5-day curriculum writing institutes conducted by author for program designers, curriculum consultants, technical trainers, and adult educators. 1-day training workshops for instructors.

Not focused on limited English proficiency although definitely adaptable and fairly comprehensive. Strong on business interests. Would need to be accompanied by training and tailored to specific needs of targeted communities.

Description - Objectives - Cost - Availability

Medium - Measures

Special Features and/or Strengths

Limitations - Comments - Concerns

5. CASAS Workforce Learning Systems (WLS) *, 1994. Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System (CASAS), San Diego, California. 1-800-255-1036. www.casas.org. Cost: multiple, consumable items sold individually or in sets and ranging in price from $25.00 to $180.00. Required training at an additional cost. WLS is designed to provide a complete solution for upgrading the critical skills employees need in the workplace. It helps education and training providers to identify specific basic skills required for jobs, assess individual and group basic skills ability levels, and design a customized program to meet identified goals of individual learners and the workplace as a whole. WLS documents basic skills and levels required for each job. An ESL Appraisal is available as well as employability tests for monitoring progress in employment-related reading and math skills development. The Workplace Analysis Process identifies basic skills and skill levels required for employees to perform specific worksite tasks. Helps identify training gaps and learning needs.

Assessments of employees' needs can be manually scored or scanned, then linked to a management information system. The Workplace Analysis Process requires the use of numerous analysis forms, all developed and provided by CASAS. Meets even the most challenging documentation needs.

Comprehensive system responsive to stakeholders' concerns about documentation and accountability. CASAS itself provides training for users; training is designed to enable stakeholders to identify needs, design instruction, and assess/evaluate progress and outcomes. Multiple instruments responsive to diverse needs of employers, employees, and service providers. Database or printed guide allows educators to locate appropriate competency-based instructional materials for specific education and training, including instructional texts, videos, and software programs - all correlated to CASAS competencies. Option of conducting comprehensive job task analyses as well as workplace literacy analyses/job profile. The most comprehensive system around that can be tailored to meet the needs of the targeted population. Already successfully used by Temple College, city of Austin, and the Upper Rio Grande Workforce Development Board in El Paso.

Initial costs for materials and training are substantial but available in a number of package designs. Training by CASAS is required before purchase is allowed. Cost may be prohibitive for some programs without additional funding. The workplace analysis, while thorough, requires a significant time commitment from administrators, employers, and employees; staffing may be an issue. Every kind of product and support imaginable is available, for a price.

Description - Objectives - Cost - Availability

Medium - Measures

Special Features and/or Strengths

Limitations - Comments - Concerns

6. WORK KEYS, the American College Testing Program (ACT), Iowa City, Iowa. 1-800-553-6244. www.act.org Cost comparable to CASAS. WORK KEYS is a nationally recognized system developed in consultation with employers, educators, and experts in employment and training requirements. It identifies generic employability skills crucial to effective performance in most jobs. Job profiling is comprehensive and gets much more specific so that instruction can be planned to respond to very specific education and training needs. Components are linked together with management information and reporting services.

Systematic use of the WORK KEYS metric identifies levels of proficiency needed in key skill areas and makes documentation straightforward. This product can identify education and training needs and document skill development over time. It can also identify jobs for which current skill levels are sufficient.

Enables employers to profile skill requirements for specific jobs and to evaluate the skills of current employees Helps determine individual and organization skill needs. Linked with ACT Testing and Training Centers across the country, this product can assist in finding focused education and training options. Can assess generic workplace skills and identify instructional targets to guide curriculum and instruction.

Only the job task analysis component warrants consideration for use with workplace ESL and literacy, since the assessment component is not intended for use with low level limited English proficient adult learners. Like CASAS, very comprehensive but time consuming. Required training for WORK KEYS administrators. Even the accompanying computerized ESL placement, COMPASS, is academic and oriented toward post secondary education programs.

7. Adult Education at Work *, a collaborative resource addressing the changing world of work and learning, developed in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Adult Education. Dent Davis, Division of Adult and Community Education, Department of Education, State of Tennessee. 423-450-5070 (ph). 423-450-5070 (fax). Available on line. Contact for web site information. Designed for adult education professionals who want to develop or strengthen their programs in workplace education.

Handbook format designed for adult education service providers' professional development; starts with the basics and walks practitioners through reflection on their program's strengths and on to understanding the community, the workplace, the resources, plans, progress, and results.

Addresses every facet of planning, designing, implementing, and evaluating work-related education programs. Provides guidelines for surveying employers' labor force needs and assessing workers' skills and education/training needs. Responsive to SCANS and the O*NET (Occupational Information Network). Very much a desk reference, user- friendly guide

Possible companion to this resource guide is Tennessee 's ESOL Curriculum Resource Book, a collaborative effort by Tennessee's Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Office of Adult Education, and the University of Tennessee, Center for Literacy Studies. Contact (865) 974-4109 (ph) or 865-974-3857 (fax). .

Description - Objectives - Cost - Availability

Medium - Measures

Special Features and/or Strengths

Limitations - Comments - Concerns

8. Jobs for the Future: Work-Related Learning Guide for Family Literacy and Adult Education Organizations* developed by Jobs for the Future, in collaboration with the National Center for Family Literacy, 1999, with support from the John and James Knight Foundation. Copies can be downloaded from www.jff.org or ordered from National Center for Family Literacy, 502-584-1133, x 149. Intended to provide assistance for family literacy and adult education organizations exploring ways in which work and learning can be integrated in their educational programs. Helps identify the support needed from employers, training organizations, social services, and other partners. Can also be used to identify strategies for sustaining work-related program activities.	Handbook for practitioners new to workforce development and seeking ways to integrate work-related learning into their programs. Intended as a basic tool for entering the arena of work-related education services.	* Solid, research-based general information. * Good desk reference by which education service providers can prepare themselves; written in layman's language, with attention to work-related learning needs.		* Very generic in nature but good resource. * Stops short of addressing specific work-related needs.

Table of Contents | Next