ESA’s National Training School has launched a new tool to help employers with gauging practical areas of proficiencies, a challenge professionals face when hiring new security technicians.

“Many other professions use skills assessments to verify computer or accounting expertise, for example, so ESA felt with the thousands of test questions we have available from our courses that we would have the perfect resource to create a tool to help hiring managers,” said Michelle Yungblut, ESA’s chief knowledge officer.

The tool consists of affordable, online aptitude tests, developed with input from industry subject matter professionals over the past year, and will measure a technician’s skill level on several core proficiencies that employers want when seeking to hire the best possible candidate. Assessment exams are available in general, overall skillset, and in specialized areas, including video surveillance, access control, fire and intrusion.

Upon completion of each assessment, employees will receive an outcome report that will weigh the test takers’ skills as beginner, intermediate or advanced. These reports will also show areas of strengths and weaknesses so that managers are prepared to assign the employee tasks that match their skill level and design training programs to enhance employee weaknesses as well as build upon their proficiencies.

“We have eight different assessments, each of which is just 25 questions and takes about 30 minutes to complete, so the time needed is very minimal,” Yungblut said.

As with all ESA National Training School courses and training programs, ESA Members receive exclusive discounts. Assessment exams are now available: $35 each for ESA Members and $49 each for non-members.

For more information, visit https://courses.esaweb.org/online-security-technician-assessment-exams/.