Optimise your Indigenous training and employment outcomes through valid, reliable, culture-fair assessment

Abstract

The initial assessment process to establish appropriate training and employment pathways is critical to the recruitment of workplace candidates. Where language and cultural barriers exist—as experienced by many Indigenous candidates—the application of a suitable assessment process optimises the potential validity and reliability of the outcomes. Recently a number of organisations with Indigenous employment needs have introduced the Q Test, a language-free culture-fair instrument designed for Indigenous candidates.

The Q Test provides an insight into a candidate’s training potential, enabling companies to establish pathways based on their capacity to cope with available training programs and employment opportunities. The Q Test can reduce the potentially negative issues which may be encountered with language-based tests or un-structured interviews such as:

1. the perceived cultural-bias leading to resistence to recruitment processes that include any form of assessment;

2. the poor retention of recruits due to dissatisfaction of those who are inappropriately placed in unsuitable positions;

3. the resistance of line managers to embrace Indigenous employees in their crews due to previously unsuccessful placements; and,

4. the inherent dangers of having unsuitable employees in high risk environments.

Since 2004, ValueEdge have completed over 4,000 Q Test assessments throughout Australia and Asia. Through these assessments it has become increasingly clear that the Q Test can assist organisations to optimise their training and employment outcomes of Indigenous candidates. Within this presentation, case studies will be presented illustrating how the Q Test has positively impacted on Indigenous training and employment programs.