Thinking about the struggles that so many are facing today, it seems that the work we do in Career and Workforce Development should begin with helping our customers know who they are.  That has to be the first step before addressing the “Where am I going” (setting a career goal) and “How do I get there” (employment and training plan) sides of the trilogy.

Self-assessment really is the key to the “Who am I” question.  It is a process of identifying our Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA).  One often under-utlized tool in self-assessment is a transferable skills analysis (TSA).  Regardless of one’s situation…laid-off, limited work history, ex-offender, displaced homemaker…this process will help strengthen the job search and career planning efforts of our customers.

This is just one example of some terrific information available to help career and workforce professionals:  http://www.quintcareers.com/transferable_skills_set.html

We strongly encourage you to incorporate a TSA component into the beginning of your customers’ efforts to learn “Who Am I”.