American workers' perceptions and self-assessment of core workplace knowledges, skills, and abilitie

This study explored how a sample of American workers, between ages 25 and 40, perceived and self-assessed their work-related competencies in light of the of knowledges, skills, and abilities (KSAs) defined in the 1991/1992 Department of Labor, Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) report. This study focused on levels and sources of acquisition of the KSAs in the current American workforce.;Using a survey instrument designed by the researcher, respondents provided self-assessment ratings of their current levels of acquisition of the 37 KSAs. They also ranked the most likely sources (e.g., school, workplace, home) contributing to their acquisition of these KSAs. The sample population of 55 was selected by convenience covering a wide range of professional fields and educational levels. Demographic factors concerning educational attainment, work history, gender, and age yielded useful information in this study.;The study revealed several major findings. The sample population rated itself lowest in acquisition of technical and systems KSAs. Mining and manufacturing job sectors rated highest in learned technical KSAs, while education sectors led the ratings in nontechnical KSAs. Females rated themselves lower than males on 28 of the 37 KSAs, particularly in the technical areas. The higher the level of education the higher the sample population rated its KSA learning levels. The workplace ranked overall as the most likely source for learning the 37 SCANS KSAs. Participants under age 32 ranked the home overall as the most likely source of learning the 37 SCANS KSAs.;These results provide workforce educators with additional information on lifelong learning requirements in the workplace. Areas of strengths and weaknesses in workplace KSAs were revealed, as well as the sources where learning each KSA might best occur.;Suggestions for further research include (a) studies on education and training provided to mining and manufacturing and education job sectors (each rating on average highest in learned KSAs); (b) a study on why the home was ranked as the number one source of learning for those under age 32; and (c) a study on real or perceived differences between genders in learning the SCANS KSAs.