Posted by Tom on May 25, 19100 at 18:57:53:
I just got a rejection letter from Accan today and called up the Kitimat Community Skills Centre for reasons why and specifically which test I failed at. The response was that they would not divulge any information why and that I could re-apply within a year.
I remember the DAT test they gave and some other mechanical aptitude tests and I must say that I am skepticasl of the external validity of these tests I had to do. First of all, how do some of the tasks involved in the testing truly relate to the work that will be actually performed while on the job at Alcan? I'm not seeing the connection and I think it should be legally challenged.
And what about the requirement that an applicant have a high school diploma? What justification can Alcan supply for that? I mean there's plenty of folks who don't have a high school diploma and do just great in heavy industrial settings.
Also, by refusing to give information to anybody who has taken the tests I feel that there is a Freedom of Information issue involved that has to be brought to light. Tha lady at the Kitimat Community Skills Centre cited "fairness" due toi the fact that there a large number of people who apply but this is really a flimsy argument. This should be an open society and if they can hide behind a stone-faced cover with an argunent like this then what else are they getting away with?
I was told that I could re-apply in a year but when I asked them what they require within that time frame I was told that I had to show proof of "having done something like get another job, or go to school". Well, I'm doing just that so am I just set up to fail? Any assessment done on those premises are basically subjective and if Alcan, the Kitimat Community Skills Centre, or any other corporate entity can claim that these tests were "scientific" then they should be examined thoroughly and I feel that the CAW and other worker's organizations have a lot on the line also.
So to sum this up let's take a look at the issue of external validity. That means basically that a theory should be applicable to the real world. Underlying all of these tests is a theory and theories have to be testible and falsifiable. So far I haven't seen much sign of external validity.
In order to back up their argument a number of statistical models will be employed to justify their testing methodology. Again, this will be used to show a "scientific" foundatioj and thus reasons for doing what they do and how they do it.