Issue link: http://psai.uberflip.com/i/802476
Reminder: Updating the PSAI Certification Program - SERVICE TECHNICIAN JOB ANALYSIS SURVEY IS NOW OPEN Click http: // psaijobanalysis.questionpro.com/ to take the survey! The PSAI's certification program is one of the proud achievements of the organization. Originally launched in the early 1990s, the program was aimed at professionalizing the role of service technician s. Since its inception more than 2,000 people have been certified. Currently, there are 552 active credential holders. IT'S TIME TO UPDATE. In order for a certification program to remain relevant and useful, it needs to be updated periodically. An importa nt step in the process of keeping a program current is to conduct a Job Analysis. A Job Analysis is a list of tasks essential to the performance of a particular position or profession. The list defines the scope of practice for that profession, according t o a consensus of the people who actually do the work – not their supervisors or company owners. The opinions of the supervisors and owners also matter, but we all know there is a big difference between doing a job "in theory" and doing it in reality. In the portable sanitation industry, we know that many of the supervisors have also personally done the job in the past, so we will be gathering data in a way that allows us to ensure that our analysis can separate input from people who are currently full tim e service technicians from those who are not. The list of tasks in a Job Analysis is not meant to limit the job performed by those professionals, but to identify the core skills needed for entry into the profession. The purpose of the Job Analysis, for a certification program like the PSAI's Certified Portable Sanitation Professional (CPSP), is to determine the knowledge and skills that must be demonstrated by those seeking certification. The skill list is created by a group of people considered experts i n the field, and then the items are rated thorough a survey of a larger number of practicing professionals that reflect the diversity of the identified population. Items that are rated as important or frequently performed by the majority of survey particip ants are included on the final list of required skills, and the tasks that are rated lower are not included. That final list becomes the blueprint for an update to the CPSP exam. In addition, operators will be able to use the information to update their se rvice technician job descriptions, and the PSAI will be able to develop important new resources such as training programs and materials to help companies and their workers. Following this process ensures that the exam , or assessment instrument, accurately reflects the knowledge and skills necessary to perform the job. The examination is intended to measure not only the ability to perform skills, but also the knowledge base behind each skill and the abilities necessary to perform the job competently. CONTINUED ON PAGE 16 W EEK LY EDITION MAR 22, 2017 P AGE 15