Valpar announces the introduction of its newest validated career planning software program — Aviator.
Aviator's multifunctional approach encompasses aptitude assessment, a pictorial interest survey and a database of jobs. Using Valpar's criterion-referenced foundation, this fast, reliable, validated tool is user-friendly and cost efficient. All subtests and surveys are computer-based and can be completed in under 60 minutes.
Computerized Assessment
Aviator's computerized assessment component is a criterion-referenced battery
of short tests whose scores relate to work-related factors of the U.S. Department of Labor's
(DOL) Revised Handbook for Analyzing Jobs (RHAJ). It also contains basic Math and
Language curriculum typical of U.S. schools, grades four through thirteen. Results from
Aviator subtests are automatically converted into scores that are collectively
called the Worker Qualification Profile (WQP).
Skills are measured in the areas of reading, math, spelling, vocabulary, editing, eye-hand coordination, problem solving, color discrimination, size discrimination and short-term visual memory. Scores are reported in accordance with DOL scales (GED 6-1, Aptitudes 1-5). Work factores reported by Aviator include GED Reasoning, Math, and Language plus the Aptitudes of General Learning Ability, Verbal, Numerical, Spatial, Form and Clerical Perception and Color Discrimination.
Aviator's academic subtests cover the range of scholastic grades from the 4th through 13th (in the case of the reading rest, through the 14th). Test takers progress through the academic tests from the relatively easier, early grade levels through increasingly advanced content levels by correctly answering a minimum number of items within each grade level. When the test taker fails to answer the required number of items correctly within a level, the test stops, and he or she receives the highest grade level score actually achieved.
Pictorial Interest Survey
This survey provides assessment of an individual's job-related interests for use in
career exploration for School-to-Work, Workforce Development and Welfare-to-Work Programs.
Vocational interests are surveyed through a pictorial presentation of over 100 jobs.
The entire survey is administered and scored on the computer.
Occupational Database
Aviator's Occupational Database was derived from the Dictionary of
Occupational Title's collection of 12,700+ jobs using the 66 interest areas of the
Guide for Occupational Exploration as a filter. These 66 interest areas also form
the basis of Aviator's interest surveys. All DOT jobs for a particular
interest area were examined and a representative sample was selected. The selection
process emphasized titles that are career oriented rather than job specific, titles that
represent the current workplace, and titles that carry a clear meaning. The database
contains occupations that are predicted to grow in the next several years as well as
ones that are expected to decline - information that is very valuable for people
considering these careers.
Database Manager
The Database Manager is the hub of Aviator. It maintains a database of
individuals, storing all assessment data as well as demographic information such as
ethnic origin and disability. The Database Manager has “browse” and “find”
capabilities and allows the user to maintain and store comments via a comment editor.
Disability, ethnicity and client source codes can be customized by the user.