An Introductory Transferable Skills Analysis (TSA) Approach

How to complete TSA charts and search the NOC-Career Handbook to generate a list
of potentially suitable occupations based on workers experience and demonstrated
aptitudes.
A clients historical estimated aptitude profile may be considered to generate options for further
exploration and may thus be derived from past jobs using a transferable skills analysis approach.
A transferable skills analysis is the process of analyzing the qualification profile of the individuals work
history as a means of identifying employment potential. The assumption is that if an individual
performed an occupation and was competent at the occupation, then he/she must possess at least the level
of aptitudes required for that occupation. In more detail, a transferability of skills analysis is a methodical
approach for estimating the vocational potential of an individual. Information pertaining to the
educational, employment, physical, social and/or psychological status of the individual is significant to
the process of determining vocational potential. By quantifying these experiences and competencies in
the same terms as used in the National Occupational Classification (NOC) Career Handbook,
conclusions can be drawn with respect to the level of match between the abilities of an individual and the
demands of various occupations.
The NOC offers analyses of over 30,000 occupations, based on studies of the actual work performed by
Canadians. It attempts to quantify various aspects of a particular job such as aptitudes, work preferences,
physical activities, body positions, strength, environmental conditions and education/training indicators
for example, thereby developing a Worker Qualification Profile (WQP) for each occupation described.
The WQP allows one to determine the levels of employment aptitude required to competently perform the
essential demands of any occupation, as well as the level of physical demand, vocational interests,
academic requirements, temperaments, environmental conditions and training requirements associated
with each of the occupations defined in the NOC. It should be noted that a WQP profile developed using
historical data does not necessarily reflect the individuals true potential in that he or she may in fact be
functioning at a higher or lower level, which can be measured by means of formal vocational testing. The
following is a TSA analysis of a sample client. (This sample client has had the following jobs: swimming
pool installer, small appliance repairer, fork lift operator, roofers. He completed the CWPI and his interest
code is OMD)
HOW TO FIND THE NOC-CH CODE OF WORK HISTORY JOBS:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Got to http://noc.esdc.gc.ca/English/home.aspx and click Career Handbook

Click ADVANCE SEARCH in the navigation panel left side of page
Click SEARCH BY KEYWORD
Type Swimming Pool Installer and check the first four sections of the list

5.

Click SEARCH and the result(s) will show the Occupational Title with NOC-CH Code

6.

Click on the occupational title, you will get all the occupational descriptors such as aptitude profile, interest
codes, and Data People Thing (DPT) profile.

Note: If you get more that one occupational title in the search, choose the occupational title that best
reflects the job performed by the client by reviewing its introductory statement, examples of job titles, and
main characteristics.
Repeat the process above for all the jobs in the work history to complete the TSA chart.
This sample shows the profile summary of a person whose work history is made up by the following four
occupational titles:
1. Installer and Servicers NOC-CH 7441
2. Roofers NOC-CH 7291.1
3. Appliance Servicers and Repairers NOC-CH 7332.1
4. Material Handler NOC-CH 7452.2

WORK HISTORY PROFILE SUMMARY

DATA,
WORK HISTORY
APTITUDES
PEOPLE INTERESTS
,
THINGS
OCCUPATION NOC # G V N S P Q K F M D P T
Installers
7441
3 4 4 3 3 4 3 4 3 6 8 4 O
M
I
Roofers
7291.1
3 4 3 3 3 4 3 3 3 5 8 4 M
O
I
Appliance
7332.1
M
I
3 3 3 3 3 4 3 3 3 3 6 4 O
Repairers
Material Handler 7452.2
4 4 4 4 4 4 3 4 3 6 8 4 O
M
I

COMPOSITE
TRANSFERABLE
SKILLS PROFILE

DATA,
PEOPLE
THINGS

APTITUDES

G V
(Best of)
3 3
LEGEND:
1=highest 10% of the working
population (High)
2= Upper third, exclusive of the
highest 10% (Above Average)
3= Middle third of the working
population (Average)
4=Lowest third, exclusive of the
lowest 10% (Below Average
5= Lowest 10% of the working
population (Low)

N
3

S
3

P
3

Q
4

K
3

F
3

M
3

3-6-4

INTERESTS
(from CWPI
result)

1
O

2
M

3
D

Table #4 TSA APTITUDE RATINGS RESULTS

An individual's overall capacity to learn the skills needed to
Level
perform job duties is based on his or her specific aptitudes
for acquiring information and transforming it into action.

Qualitative

General Learning Ability - Ability to "catch on" or

understand instructions and underlying principles; to
reason and make judgments.

Average

Verbal Ability - Ability to understand the meaning

of words and the ideas associated with them, and to
use them effectively; to comprehend language, to
understand relationships between words and to
understand the meaning of whole sentences and
paragraphs; to present information or ideas clearly.

Average

Numerical Ability - The ability to carry out

arithmetic operations quickly and accurately.

Average

Spatial Perception Ability to think visually about

geometric forms and comprehend the twodimensional representation of three-dimensional
objects; to recognize the relationships resulting from
the movement of objects in space. May be used in
such tasks as blueprint reading and in solving
geometry problems. Frequently described as the
ability to "visualize" objects of two or three
dimensions.

Average

Form Perception Ability to perceive pertinent

detail in objects and in pictorial and graphic material;
to make visual comparisons and discriminations and
to see slight differences in shapes and shadings of
figures and widths and lengths of lines

Average

Clerical Perception Ability to perceive pertinent

detail in verbal or tabular material; to observe
differences in copy, to proofread words and numbers,
and to avoid perceptual errors in arithmetical
computation.

Below Average

Motor Co-ordination - Ability to co-ordinate eyes,

hands and fingers rapidly and accurately when
required to respond with precise movements.

Average

Finger Dexterity The ability to move the fingers

and manipulate small objects with the fingers rapidly
or accurately.

Average

Manual Dexterity Ability to move the fingers and

manipulate small objects with the fingers rapidly
and/or accurately.

Average

Table #5 TRANSFERABLE Data/Information-People-Things

Non-tangible information, knowledge and concepts related to data, people and things that are obtained
by observation, investigation, visualization and mental creation. Written data take the form of numbers,
words and symbols. Other data are ideas, conceptualization and oral verbalization.
D Data / Information
P People
T Things
0 Synthesizing
1 Coordinating
2 Analyzing
3 Compiling X
4 Computing
5 Copying
6 Comparing
7 - ------8 Not significant

0 Mentoring
1 Negotiating
2 Instructing-Consulting
3 Supervising
4 Diverting
5 Persuading
6 Speaking Signalling X
7 Serving Assisting
8 Not significant

0 Setting up
1 Precision working
2 Controlling
3 Driving Operating
4 Operating Manipulating X
5 Tending
6 Feeding Offbearing
7 Handling
8 Not significant

Table #6 INTERESTS
The Canadian Work Preference Inventory (CWPI) measures five occupational interests.
Description of Interests Based on Tested Interest:
D

Innovative persons like to explore things in depth and arrive at solutions to

problems by experimenting. They are interested in initiating and creating
different ways to solve questions and present information. They enjoy scientific
subjects. Innovative persons prefer to be challenged with new and unexpected
experiences. They adjust to change easily.

Directive persons like to take charge and control situations. They like to
take responsibility for projects that require planning, decision making and
co-ordinating the work of others. They are able to give direction and
instructions easily. They enjoy organizing their own activities. They see
themselves as independent and self-directing.

Methodical persons like to have clear rules and organized methods to guide
their activities. They prefer working under the direction or supervision of
others according to given instructions, or to be guided by established
policies and procedures. Methodical persons like to work on one thing until
it is completed. They enjoy following a set routine and prefer work that is
free from the unexpected.
Objective persons enjoy working with tools, equipment, instruments and
machinery. They like to repair and/or fabricate things from various
materials according to specifications and using established techniques.
Objective persons are interested in finding out how things operate and how
they are built.
Social persons like dealing with people. They enjoy caring for and assisting
others in identifying their needs and solving their concerns. Social persons like
working and co-operating with others. They prefer to be involved in work that
requires interpersonal contact.

Table # 7 STRENGTH
Strength refers to the use of strength in the handling of loads such as pulling, pushing, lifting and/or
moving objects during the work performed, as defined by the national Occupational Classification,
Second Editions (NOC). It is important to note that actual strength requirements and physical
activities/requirements of a particular occupation can vary from the generic NOC description. It is
recommended that the physical demands/strength requirements of a specific occupation be verified by
contacting potential employers directly to ensure suitability.
Limited:
Light:
Medium:
Heavy:

Work activities involve handling loads up to 5 kg.

Work activities involve handling loads of 5 kg but less than 10 kg. X
Work activities involve handling loads between 10 kg and 20 kg.
Work activities involve handling loads more than 20kg.

NOC-CH Occupational Search

HOW TO GENERATE LIST OF POTENTIALLY SUITABLE OCCUPATIONS:
1. Go to Career Handbook, click on ADVANCE SEARCH and then click on Search by:
Descriptor Scale Ratings

2. Under Aptitudes, enter the best of values obtained in the TSA in the first column and do
specify a range by adding a value just below that in the first column in the second column
(note: do not enter a level 5 in 2nd column) (see picture below)

3. Scroll below and click SEARCH, youll obtain a list of occupational titles that match the
aptitudes profile obtained in the TSA (i.e. The best of aptitudes values in work history jobs. In
this sample client, we obtained a list of 259 occupations which is the starting point for further
career exploration.

Using a transferable skills approach, the general occupational areas for which a client could be considered
potentially suitable by reason of his experience have thus be obtained. You can refine or expand the
search of occupations by trying other ratings (interests, DPT, education and so on).