Industrial Skills Tests

The Industrial Skills Test (IST) is a suite of three targeted cognitive and mechanical reasoning assessments designed to measure the baseline skills, workplace aptitudes, and learning speed required for success in industrial and mechanical roles. The battery evaluates an individual’s practical literacy, data analysis capabilities, and physical intuition without requiring specialized scientific or academic training. Delivered online, it produces a clear percentile ranking scored against specific industry norm groups—such as mechanical, electrical, or firefighting sectors—to accurately predict on-the-job performance for incoming applicants or existing staff.

Primary Use – Selection and Development
Assessment Type  – Cognitive/Mechanical Reasoning
Job Level – Individual Contributor, Production, Mechanical, Technical, Entry-level Supervisor
Number of Items – 25
Estimated Time – 30 minutes (untimed)
Administration Format – Proctored

Reliability

Tests in the Industrial Skills Tests series have reliabilities (coefficient alpha) ranging from .70 to .89 with an estimated composite reliability above .90.

Fairness

Within the context of a broader cognitive ability composite scores, tests in the IST series were found to be fair to racial/ethnic minorities in predicting job performance. Gender score differences on IST3 Mechanical Comprehension were substantially smaller than those seen for the traditional Mechanical Comprehension Tests.

What It’s Best Used For

• Screening technical and mechanical roles: Vetting applicants for manufacturing assembly, machinery operations, process management, maintenance, repair, construction, and firefighting positions.
• Verifying workplace safety and literacy (IST 1): Measuring a candidate’s ability to read, comprehend, and follow written or bulleted industrial instructions and safety procedures.
• Evaluating data extraction capabilities (IST 2): Testing how accurately an applicant interprets information from corporate tables, charts, graphs, and basic mathematical word problems.
• Assessing intuitive mechanical aptitude (IST 3): Gauging a candidate’s natural grasp of basic physical principles and how machinery reacts to specific operational adjustments.
• Ensuring gender and minority fairness: Utilizing modernized test items that significantly narrow demographic score gaps compared to traditional, legacy mechanical comprehension tests.
• Supporting internal workforce development: Testing current employees to identify specific training needs or evaluate readiness for advancement into entry-level supervisor roles.

IST 1 READING COMPREHENSION

The Industrial Skills Tests 1A Reading Comprehension is designed to measure the ability to read and comprehend written instructions no more complex than those commonly encountered in basic industrial and mechanical jobs.

This 25-item 30-minute test consists of brief written passages using scenarios, contexts, and language relevant to industrial settings. Through conventional measures of reading grade level are difficult to apply to the IST-1A because of the brief and sometimes bulleted or outlined format of the written material, the test was designed to measure the ability to read and comprehend written instructions no more complex than those commonly encountered in basic industrial and mechanical jobs.

The candidate score report is presented as a percentile against a relevant norm reference group for an accurate prediction of job performance.

Norm options available include

• Electrical/Electronic
• Field Clerk
• Freight Conductor
• Industrial / Mechanical
• Track/Heavy Equipment Worker

Score Report

The report displays the candidate’s raw score and percentile ranking based upon the chosen norm group.

IST 2 WORKING WITH NUMBERS, CHARTS AND GRAPHS

In the Industrial Skills Tests 2A Working with Numbers, Charts and Graphs, information is presented in the form of tables and graphs.  The test-taker must extract the appropriate information or draw the appropriate conclusions from the information presented.

This 25-item 30-minute test present information in the form of tables and graphs. The test-taker must extract the appropriate information or draw the appropriate conclusions from the information presented. IST-2A also includes basic math word problems. Like the IST-1A, this test uses contexts, language, and a level of difficulty that is typical of industrial work settings.

The candidate score report is presented as a percentile against a relevant norm reference group for an accurate prediction of job performance.

The IST measures

• Graphic Representations of Data
• Solves Numerical Problems
• Norm options available include:
• Industrial / Mechanical

IST 3 MECHANICAL PRINCIPLES

The Industrial Skills Tests 3 Mechanical Principles, also known as the Mechanical Principles Test (MPT-C), measures the understanding of basic physical and mechanical concepts relevant for a range of industrial and mechanical jobs.

This 36-item 20-minute test measures the understanding of basic physical and mechanical concepts of relevant for a range of industrial and mechanical jobs. The test-taker is presented with drawings of physical and mechanical scenarios and is asked questions regarding the properties of the system, or how it will react to specific changes.

Such skills can be critical for jobs involving frequent interaction with machines and physical devices. The target population is for applicants that involve mechanical aptitude, such as manufacturing assembly positions, operations and process management jobs involving machinery, repair, maintenance positions, construction work and firefighting.

The IST has demonstrated validity in predicting job performance for mechanical and firefighter jobs, and within the context of a cognitive ability battery has demonstrated fairness to protect ethnic and gender groups.

The IST was designed to improve upon older competing tests of mechanical comprehension by focusing on the basic principles needed in mechanical jobs, and avoiding items that depend on specialized scientific knowledge. Items were pretested and subjected to statistical analyses to ensure sound item functioning and a range of item difficulties.

The candidate score report is presented as a percentile against a relevant norm reference group for an accurate prediction of job performance.

Norm options available include

• Firefighters
• Industrial / Mechanical
• Mechanical