Foundation courses

The following foundation courses are offered on an in-house or public basis:

• Introduction to Occupational Assessment

• Practical Test Administration

• Introduction to Competencies

• Job Analysis and Competency Design

• Competency Based Interviewing

• Introduction to Psytech Assessment Instruments

• In-house courses

Introduction to Occupational Assessment

  Target audience: Line Managers and anyone who is involved with or recipient of information obtained from psychometric assessments.

Duration: 3-4 Hours (1/2 day) Purpose: Outlines the main concepts of assessment, explains the types of measures that are used to assess human behaviour and examines how such measures are to be used within the legal context in South Africa.

Outcomes:

• Be able to distinguish between tests, assessment measures, testing and assessment

• Understand characteristics of assessment measures and assessment process

• Be exposed to psychological assessment in South Africa: statutory control,   fairness, bias, cross-cultural test adaptation and translation as well as ethical   practice   standards

• Be familiar with the concepts of validity and reliability of test material

• Be introduced to the concepts of bias and fairness in testing

• Develop company wide policy on responsible use of test material,   confidentiality, security and misuse of information

• Understand the roles of the psychologist and line management with regard to psychological assessment.

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Practical test administration

Target audience: Psychometrists, Intern Psychologists and Psychologists who wish to brush up on their test administration skills.

Duration: 2 Days

  Purpose: Develop competent test administrators who will use tests appropriately, professionally and in an ethical manner, paying attention to the needs and rights of those involved in the testing process, the reasons for testing and the broader context in which testing takes place. This will be achieved by ensuring that the test administrator has the necessary competencies to carry out the testing process.

  Outcomes:

• Be able to define what a psychological test is and what the characteristics of a   good test are

• Know the aspects of the Act, related legislation and the ethical code with  regard to the control and use of psychological tests

• Understand general principles of test administration  

• Distinguish between different types of test and their administration requirements.

• Know the administration requirements of pencil and paper tests, computer-administered tests and internet-delivered tests in the South African regulatory framework.

• Be able to administer a test, effectively handling materials and administration instructions

• Be aware of respondent needs and know how to deal with problem situations

• Be able to obtain informed content relevant to the purpose of testing

• Score and analyse test results accurately  

• Choose appropriate norm groups

• Interpret results appropriately—use interpretation guidelines provided in the technical manual

• Be able to communicate effectively in order to prepare test-takers, interact   with relevant others (e.g. employers), administer test and report on the findings and   provide feedback in conjunction with a psychologis

Course outline

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Introduction to Competencies

Target audience: Line managers, Psychologists, Psychometrists, Counsellors (psychometrics) and anyone involved in defining critical success factors for a job.  

Purpose: Provide delegates with an understanding of competencies and how they are used.

Duration: one day

Outcomes:

• Understand the use of the term competency and related terms

• Distinguish between competencies used for training, performance management and selection

• Distinguish between good and bad competency definitions

• Understand the relationship between competencies and legally controlled psychological constructs

• Understand how good competency definitions can facilitate good practice with regard to assessment and development of people

• Be aware of competency related resources and how to access and use them

Course outline

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Job Analysis and Competency Design

  Target audience: Line managers, Psychologists, Psychometrists, Counsellors (psychometrics) and anyone involved in defining critical success factors for a job.

  Purpose: Provides a practical approach to systematic job analysis techniques with the aim of determining the attributes, skills and experience needed to do the work successfully.

  Duration: 2 days

  Outcomes:

• To be able to gather sufficient evidence about work requirements to determine choice of assessment techniques in the light of current South African legislation.

• Be exposed to various structured techniques to find out what people do and  how that influences the human requirements for the job.

• Theoretical foundation of job analysis, competence and competency modelling

• Receive practical training in different job analysis techniques:

• Group techniques

• Individual interviews:  semi-structured

• Checklists

• Critical Incident Interviews

• Profile Specification Questionnaires

• Critically evaluate computer-based job analysis systems

• Planning a job analysis project

• Identifying role players and stakeholders involved in job analysis

• Writing up a competency

• Drawing up an assessment matrix  

Course outline

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  Competency based Interviewing

  Target audience: Line Managers, human resource practitioners and anyone who is involved with selection within organisations.

  Duration: 2 Days

Purpose: Practical skill-development workshop to conduct interviews based on identified competencies. People attending this workshop must have knowledge of competencies and the competency model used in their organisation. The job analysis and competency modelling course is recommended, however not a pre-requisite. Please note that certain pre-course work is required.

  Outcomes:

• Present a competency– based interviewing model

• Complete a job-analysis worksheet and customise the interview to the particular job

• Be exposed to future-oriented competencies and their descriptions to be able to incorporate in interview

• Work through an inventory of core competencies generic to many positions—sample uestions and target behaviours per level are provided

• Receive practical training in creating and customising behavioural based questions

• Be exposed to a structured rating sheet to document interview

• Provide a process for resume review  

Course outline

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 Introduction to Psytech Assessment Instruments

Please note: This course has been phased out and replaced by three dedicated one-day courses. 

In-house courses  

If you have 6 or more delegates who need to be trained, it may be cost-effective to organise one of the standard Psytech course at a time and venue of your choice. 

Training can also be customised to your specific assessment requirements. Costs for customised in-house courses will be based on the development time needed as well as the time taken presenting a course, and the course materials produced and used. 

Every in-house course will be quoted as an individual consulting project. 

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