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What is TOWES?
TOWES (Test of Workplace Essential Skills) is effective testing and training that
uses workplace documents to accurately measure the three essential skills that are
needed for safe and productive employment: Reading Text, Document Use and Numeracy.
Please
check out our latest TOWES
Test Overview & Sample
Test document (PDF).
Why TOWES?
Employees who lack essential skills have higher accident rates and are often less
productive. With TOWES employers can zero in on skill gaps and provide focused training
that improves their bottom-line.
Effectiveness of TOWES
TOWES has undergone an extensive psychometric review and nation-wide field-testing
involving thousands of Canadians. These results prove that TOWES is the best measure
of essential skills in Canada.
Occupations Chart
Click here to view a chart of the essential
skills requirements for different occupations as determined by Human Resources and
Skills Development Canada (PDF). The chart also includes the recommended version of
the TOWES G-Series Test.
Measure
Up! is a free web-based tool that tests your essential skills. It has problem
sets similar to the ones used in TOWES. Each problem set is based on a document -
a memo, catalogue, regulations, work order - associated with workplace contexts. The
self-assessments found in Measure Up! have not been subjected to the rigorous validity
and reliability standards of TOWES. It is an informal tool which demonstrates the
power of TOWES.
Page Updated:
Thursday, April 09, 2009