How can assessments assist low SES students?
This is a question we were asked recently. We are sharing what we found out so you can use it too.
Often students from low social economic status (SES) backgrounds may lack access to the types of career decision-making support that comes from growing up in a family where professional educations are taken for granted. If the students are first-in-family at tertiary studies, they often don’t have good role models to talk with and rely heavily on the university, TAFE or school careers advisers to inform them about what to expect from careers that require tertiary qualifications.
Why would you use psychometric assessments with low SES students?
- In order to give them an accurate and timely awareness of their workplace preferences and personal strengths, so that they can fully capitalise on their abilities, skills and suitability to their careers so that they can be productive and financially independent as soon as possible.
- The combination of assessments, career counselling and education allows low SES students to fully appreciate their most preferred career options at an early stage.
- Providing accurate, objective assessment that matches them against the right career, at the beginning of their careers is the ultimate gateway to help them move out of their current SES grouping.
Why would you use Harrison Assessments in particular?
- “The system is designed for all levels, including low income students.” Dr Dan Harrison, 3 September 2014.
- There are no questions in the assessment that could be viewed as discriminating against low SES background.
- Although we do not collect data for SES when using the questionnaire, data for other factors indicates there are no adverse impacts of the assessment. Harrison Assessments keep a close eye on any potential for adverse impacts in order to ensure EEO legislation compliance.
- It has been used successfully with students of low SES background in a recent US case study.
- If required, the questionnaire can be delivered via a ‘simplified English’ questionnaire and/or a pencil and paper test.
- Harrison Assessments does not measure personality alone. The questions also relate to a person’s interests, preferred tasks and work environment, decision making, management styles, motivations and values, communication, leadership, interpersonal styles and workplace cultural fit.
With many thanks to Patricia Parish, Careers Education Consultant at University of Western Sydney, for her valuable insight in this area.
Do you have any experiences working with low SES background clients that you’d like to share?
We look forward to reading them below.
About Susan Rochester
BSc MHRM FIML
Susan Rochester has been managing director of Balance at Work since 2006. Susan has a natural tendency to balance analytical thinking with an optimistic outlook to set direction and solve problems. She is an effective facilitator and constantly creates new and more effective ways of doing things, motivated by helping others to achieve their goals.
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