Combined Basic Skills – Tools

Use the Combined Basic Skills – Tools Assessment to assess applicants for Reading, Arithmetic, Inspection and Measurement, Process Monitoring and Troubleshooting Skills, and Team Skills for a variety of Industrial roles. The Combined Basic Skills – Tools test is part of the Combined Basic Skills Tests battery.  See the Combined Basic Skills Tests page for a complete list of options.

What It’s Best Used For

This test assists with hiring and promotion decisions for new applicants or existing employees by verifying baseline operational readiness and safe equipment handling practices.

• Targeting Entry-Level Trades: It is highly optimized for screening candidates across a wide range of basic industrial, warehouse, and manufacturing roles.
• Vetting Hardware Competency: The exam explicitly measures an applicant’s core Tool Knowledge and Use alongside practical visual measurement skills.
• Evaluating Foundational Literacy: It integrates basic workplace functionality checks by scoring core capabilities in Reading and Arithmetic.
• Flexible Program Delivery: It can be administered via online or paper formats, supporting immediate automated digital reporting or quick manual grading by hand.

The screening tool complies strictly with EEOC Uniform Guidelines to deliver a non-discriminatory vetting framework and is fully legal for use in Canada.

Tools – Paper/Online

Assesses: Reading, Arithmetic, Measurement, Tool Knowledge and Use
Skill Level: Entry
Test Format: 81 Items, Multiple-choice
Language: English

Please contact us for pricing and more information.  Sample questions are not available for this instrument.  Sample copies are available for purchase only.

We recommend that test validation be conducted for an organization that meets any of the following criteria:

• Is a highly visible national or international company
• Has more than 200 employees
• Has a labor agreement
• Has a federal contract
• Has ever had an EEO charge
• Needs professional assistance for setting cutting scores on tests

The Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures (1978)1, developed by the EEOC, Civil Service Commission, Department of Labor and Department of Justice, are intended to establish a uniform Federal position in the area of prohibiting discrimination in employment practices. Regarding the use of tests and other selection procedures, the Guidelines state:

These guidelines apply to tests and other selection procedures which are used as a basis for any employment decision. Employment decisions include but are not limited to hiring, promotion, demotion, membership (for example, in a labor organization), referral, retention, and licensing and certification, to the extent that licensing and certification may be covered by Federal equal employment opportunity law. Other selection decisions, such as selection for training or transfer, may also be considered employment decisions if they lead to any of the decisions listed above. (Section 2B)

The Guidelines also state:

The use of any selection procedure which has an adverse impact on the hiring, promotion, or other employment or membership opportunities of members of any race, sex, or ethnic group will be considered to be discriminatory and inconsistent with these guidelines, unless the procedure has been validated in accordance with these guidelines. (Section 3A)

From the employer’s perspective, it is very useful to have a job-related test. When tests are job related, they have more credibility with the persons taking them, giving the test takers more confidence in their results and providing less likelihood of complaint or litigation. A validated test is usually the product of research by a psychologist. The resulting validation report is the documented evidence by a professional researcher of the validity of the selection procedure. In the event of complaint or litigation, the report would usually be entered into evidence. In addition, the author would provide testimony that the report reflects generally-accepted professional practice and is in conformance with the requirements of the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures.

1 Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Civil Service Commission, Department of Labor, and Department of Justice. (1978, August). Uniform guidelines on employee selection procedures. Federal Register, 43, 38290-38315.

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