Evaluating the O*NET Occupational Analysis System for Army Competency Development


Book Description

"The present evaluation focused primarily on the usefulness of the O*NET system for Army occupational analysis for selection and classification purposes. The evaluation focused on the appropriateness of O*NET descriptors that would typically be used in an Army occupation analysis for selection and classification purposes: abilities, skills, generalized work activities (GWAs), and work context. Four civilian and four officer occupations were selected for this research. The objective was to produce data for the military occupations that could be compared to civilian O*NET data. Therefore, it was important to follow processes currently used by O*NET for data collection. In effect, this meant collecting information on occupational tasks, abilities skills, GWAs, and work context from Army Subject Matter Exports (SMEs) and collecting ability and skill ratings using trained analysts. The results showed that Army SMEs as well as other types of analysts could make reliable ratings on the O*NET descriptors. Potential uses for the O*NET descriptors are discussed."--P. i.




Technical Report


Book Description




Helping Soldiers Leverage Army Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities in Civilian Jobs


Book Description

This report discusses the results of occupation surveys administered to soldiers in selected Army military occupational specialties (MOSs) to assess the level and importance of the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed in these MOSs and to develop better crosswalks between military and civilian occupations. The report identifies both a broader range of military-civilian occupation matches and higher-quality matches than existing crosswalks.




The Changing Nature of Work


Book Description

Although there is great debate about how work is changing, there is a clear consensus that changes are fundamental and ongoing. The Changing Nature of Work examines the evidence for change in the world of work. The committee provides a clearly illustrated framework for understanding changes in work and these implications for analyzing the structure of occupations in both the civilian and military sectors. This volume explores the increasing demographic diversity of the workforce, the fluidity of boundaries between lines of work, the interdependent choices for how work is structured-and ultimately, the need for an integrated systematic approach to understanding how work is changing. The book offers a rich array of data and highlighted examples on: Markets, technology, and many other external conditions affecting the nature of work. Research findings on American workers and how they feel about work. Downsizing and the trend toward flatter organizational hierarchies. Autonomy, complexity, and other aspects of work structure. The committee reviews the evolution of occupational analysis and examines the effectiveness of the latest systems in characterizing current and projected changes in civilian and military work. The occupational structure and changing work requirements in the Army are presented as a case study.




Prototype Procedures to Describe Army Jobs


Book Description

"Descriptions of Army jobs or Military Occupational Specialties (MOS) provide the foundation for Army personnel management, from entry-level selection and classification to training and performance management. However, existing job analysis approaches used in the Army have a number of limitations. This project represents the first step in a long-term research roadmap intended to address this issue (Campbell et al., 2007). The purpose of this project was to develop and field test a new prototype job analysis approach, customized to the Army, for describing entry-level enlisted jobs. Questionnaires measuring work and worker-oriented domains were developed and administered online to incumbents and supervisors in six MOS (N = 1,390): (a) Infantryman (11B), (b) Armor Crewman (19K), (c) Signal Support Specialist (25U), (d) Light-Wheel Vehicle Mechanic (63B), (e) Military Police (31B), and (f) Motor Transport Operator (88M). The results of the field test demonstrated that the questionnaires evidenced sufficient reliability and validity for describing enlisted jobs and feature a method that could be easily expanded Army-wide and at a reasonable cost. The report concludes with a summary of lessons learned from the field test and discussion of ways in which future research can enhance and extend the prototype approach."--P. i.







A Database for a Changing Economy


Book Description

Information about the characteristics of jobs and the individuals who fill them is valuable for career guidance, reemployment counseling, workforce development, human resource management, and other purposes. To meet these needs, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) in 1998 launched the Occupational Information Network (O*NET), which consists of a content model-a framework for organizing occupational data-and an electronic database. The O*NET content model includes hundreds of descriptors of work and workers organized into domains, such as skills, knowledge, and work activities. Data are collected using a classification system that organizes job titles into 1,102 occupations. The National Center for O*NET Development (the O*NET Center) continually collects data related to these occupations. In 2008, DOL requested the National Academies to review O*NET and consider its future directions. In response, the present volume inventories and evaluates the uses of O*NET; explores the linkage of O*NET with the Standard Occupational Classification System and other data sets; and identifies ways to improve O*NET, particularly in the areas of cost-effectiveness, efficiency, and currency.