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Recent developments in the
Nuclear Security hiring procedure have led to the use of
standardized tests in the pre-interview screening of
applicants.
This process involves a
series of five (5) tests which evaluates the aptitudes and
abilities required for a nuclear security position. The
assessment process consists of:
GATB, WCT, PREP,
Vision and Hearing
1.
GENERAL APTITUDE TEST BATTERY (GATB)
Description:
The GATB is a timed pencil and paper test which
evaluates arithmetic, problem solving, spatial aptitude and
verbal skills.
-
Arithmetic Skills - Understanding of addition, subtraction,
division and multiplication.
-
Problem Solving Skills - Ability to solve mathematical
problems.
-
Spatial Aptitude - Ability to identify the relationship
between objects of different shapes.
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Verbal Skills - Ability to understand the relationship
between words (e.g. words that mean the same and words that
have opposite meaning).
It
is recommended that you brush up on basic high school level
math (approximately grade 10 level). Study both quick
computation (multiplication, division, subtraction,
addition, fractions, etc.) as well as the math word problems
without using a calculator (longhand on paper or in your
head) as there are math sections on the GATB. It is
also recommended that you increase your vocabulary by doing
activities such as crosswords, etc., as well as by looking
up words you don't know while reading. You should also
increase the level and frequency of your reading (i.e. read
more challenging materials than you are used to, and read
more often). This will help you to learn new words, as well
as help to increase the speed of your reading comprehension,
which helps immensely since the tests are timed.
GATB Testing Tips and Practice Exercises
Test Administration:
The GATB is a timed paper-and-pencil test, which takes
approximately one (1) hour to complete.
Validity Period:
A successful result on the GATB remains valid for a period
of three (3) years.
Re-Test Waiting
Period: Candidates who are unsuccessful on the GATB at
the first attempt, must wait for a period of three (3)
months from their test date before they can make another
attempt. Candidates who have not met standard on
subsequent attempts must wait a period of six (6) months
before they can test again.
Where a successful GATB
result is due to expire, a candidate may rewrite within 2
months prior to the expiry date, or anytime thereafter.
2. WRITTEN COMMUNICATION TEST (WCT)
Description: This test evaluates the
candidate's ability to organize information in a clear,
coherent and comprehensive manner, and to make conclusions
from given facts. The candidate is presented with a scenario
in which factual details are jumbled or represented in a
non-chronological manner.
Since the WCT is an analytical thinking exercise, it is a
little harder to prepare for this test, however, any
activities that will get you thinking analytically will
help. One suggestion is to read the "5-Minute Mysteries"
(author Ken Weber), which are available at local libraries.
These short mysteries will help to get you thinking
analytically because all the information is given to you to
solve the mystery, and you have to come to a conclusion
about what happened, or solve the mystery (answers appear in
the back of the book to check your work). It also helps if
you time yourself and write the case down, including
relevant facts (or clues) and why you reached the conclusion
you did. Always back up your answer with facts. Doing these
activities will help to get you thinking analytically, which
is what you will need to employ during the WCT exercise.
WCT Testing Tips and Practice Exercises
Test Administration:
The WCT is a paper-and-pencil test (English language), which
takes approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes to complete.
Validity Period:
A successful result on the WCT remains valid for a period of
three (3) years.
Re-Test Waiting
Period: Candidates who are unsuccessful on the WCT at
the first attempt, must wait for a period of three (3)
months from their test date before they can make another
attempt. Candidates who have not met standard on
subsequent attempts must wait a period of six (6) months
before they can test again.
Where a successful WCT
result is due to expire, a candidate may rewrite within 2
months prior to the expiry date, or anytime thereafter.
3.
PHYSICAL READINESS EVALUATION FOR POLICE
(PREP)
This test consists of a number of procedures.
Detailed information on the assessment for physical skills
and abilities is available in the brochure:
Fit-to-Serve: Preparing for
the PREP (PDF).
Description:
Physical Fitness: Pass all components of the Physical
Readiness Evaluation for Police (PREP) test, which includes:
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Pursuit/Restraint
Circuit, will be evaluated by completing as quickly as
possible a 25-metre circuit four times (total distance = 100
metres) while wearing a 9 lb. soft weight belt that
simulates wearing a full equipment belt. During each
rotation, a set of stairs are climbed and on the second and
fourth rotation, a 4 ft fence is scaled. Following
completion of the circuit, the participant completes pushing
and pulling on the "body control" simulator plus two "arm
restraint" simulations, then drags a 150 lb. rescue dummy a
distance of 15 metres.
-
Aerobic Shuttle Run,
evaluated by running back and forth over a 20-metre course
in time with tape recorded signals. The time to cover
the 20-metre course is shortened progressively until the
participant is unable to maintain the pace or the standard
is met.
Test Administration:
This assessment procedure takes about 20 minutes of activity
to complete.
If you are over 40 years
of age or have answered 'yes' to any of the questions on the
PAR-Q
(Participant Activity Readiness Questionnaire), please
notify ATS when you register. You will be required to have
your physician complete a PARmed-X
(Physical Activity Readiness Medical Examination).
Please take the time to read the instructions included with
the form to ensure that you have the PARmed-X form filled
out completely and properly, as you will not be permitted to
attempt the PREP test without it.
On test day, a pre-test
blood pressure will be taken. This blood pressure reading
must be 144/94 or less in order for you to participate in
the PREP component of the Constable Selection System. Some
people experience "White Coat Syndrome". White Coat Syndrome
is a medical term that describes the finding of elevated
blood pressure during a stressful situation such as a visit
to the doctor, or certain testing, when you have normal
blood pressure at other times. If you are a person that
experiences this condition and are concerned that you will
not meet the BP standards on the day of testing then:
A: Attend your physician
B: Have
a Copy of the PARmed-X form for your doctor to complete
C: Either Fax/Mail a copy to the ATS office a minimum of
1 week prior to your test date.
You will be required at
the test centre to complete and sign an Informed Consent
Form, which contains information about each component of the
PREP and identifies any risks associated with participation.
Validity Period: A successful result on the
PREP remains valid for a period of six (6) months.
Re-Test Waiting
Period: The first time a candidate does not meet standard with the
PREP, they are eligible to register
immediately and retest within 2 months of their test date.
For each attempt after that, the waiting period to retest is
2 months from your test date.
Where a successful PREP
result is due to expire, a candidate may re-test within 2
months prior to the expiry date, or anytime thereafter.
4.
VISION AND HEARING
The following
VISION STANDARDS
apply:
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Uncorrected Visual Acuity
- at least 20/40 (6/12) with both eyes open
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Corrected
Visual Acuity
- at least 20/20 (6/6) with both eyes open
-
Farsightedness
– The amount of hyperopia must not be greater than +2.00
D, spheroequivalent in the less hyperopic eye. For
screening, the visual acuity score recorded above should
worsen when +1.50 lenses are worn; no change from the
uncorrected visual acuity when wearing +1.5 lenses
denotes unacceptable vision
-
Depth Perception
- Stereo acuity of 80 seconds of arc or better
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Lateral Phoria “Far”
- In excess of 5 eso or 5 exo, requires additional
information from an eye care professional, which
documents that the person is unlikely to experience
double vision when fatigued or functioning in reduced
visual environments
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Lateral Phoria “Near”
- in excess of 6 eso or 10 exo, requires additional
information from an eye care professional, which
documents that the person is unlikely to experience
double vision when fatigued or functioning in reduced
visual environments
-
Colour Vision
- pass Farnsworth D-15 without any colour corrective
(e.g. X-Chrom, Chromagen) lenses
-
Peripheral
Vision
- Peripheral visual field limits with a 5 mm
white target at 33 cm (or a target with similar angular
size with respect to the candidate's viewing distance)
should be no less than the limits given below. In
addition, no blind spots should be present within these
limits other than the physiological blind spot.
Limits for the various meridians are:
Temporal
(0° meridian)
75°
Superior-temporal (45° meridian)
40°
Superior
(90° meridian) 35°
Superior-nasal
(135° meridian) 35°
Nasal
(180° meridian) 45°
Nasal-inferior
(225° meridian) 35°
Inferior
(270° meridian) 55°
Inferior-temporal (315°
meridian) 70°
-
Corneal Refractive Surgery
– Allowed;
however, the candidate must meet additional requirements
and must provide specific documentation on vision
stability and night vision using approved forms,
available through Applicant Testing Services
-
Pseudophakic Intra-Ocular Lenses - Allowed;
however, the candidate must meet additional requirements
and must provide specific documentation using
approved
forms, available through Applicant Testing Services
-
Phakic Intra-Ocular Lens Implants (PIOL) -
Certain designs are allowed; however, the candidate must
meet additional requirements and must provide specific
documentation on
vision
stability and night vision using approved forms,
available through Applicant Testing Services
-
Orthokeratology, Corneal
Transplants, Intra-Stromal Corneal Rings
-
Not allowed
-
Ocular Disease -
Free from diseases that impair or will impair visual
performance as indicated by the standards above,
or will produce sudden, unpredictable incapacitation of
the visual system.
The following
HEARING STANDARDS apply:
-
For each ear, pure-tone thresholds measured under
audiometric earphones shall not exceed a four-frequency
average (500,
1000, 2000, 3000 Hz) of 25 dB HL, thresholds at none of
these single frequencies shall exceed 35 dB HL and
thresholds at 4000 Hz shall not exceed 45 dB HL
-
Speech recognition
scores shall be 88% or better in each ear at 50 dB HL in
quiet, using half lists (25 test words) of recorded
monosyllabic words presented under standard audiometric
earphones (Northwestern University Test. No. 6)
-
Speech recognition
scores measured with both ears open in sound field shall
be 68% or better at a +5 dB signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio,
when a half-list (25 test words) or recorded
monosyllabic words is presented at 50 dB HL
-
Only
complete-in-canal (CIC) hearing aids may be used to meet
the above standards. However, the applicant's
unaided hearing loss must not exceed 40 dB in each ear
at the following frequencies: 500, 1000, 2000 and 3000,
and shall not exceed 55 dB at 4000 Hz
-
The audiologist must
provide specific documentation using
approved forms, available through Applicant Testing
Services
Applicants who do not
meet standard on any of the vision or hearing assessments
will be referred for further examination by an appropriate
specialist. It is recommended that applicants confirm
that they meet vision and hearing standards before they
commit themselves to the testing fees of the pre-interview
stage.
Assessment
Administration:
This procedure takes approximately 10-20 minutes to
complete. Please be prepared to remove contact lenses
or eyeglasses during this assessment.
Validity Period:
A successful result on the vision and hearing assessment
remains valid for a period of three (3) years. |
