How can assessments assist 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.

• “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.