Definition - What does Vocational Appraisal mean?
A vocational appraisal is an assessment method used to evaluate an individual's level of vocational preparedness. An appraisal is often conducted during the course of a vocational rehabilitation program. It may also be used to assess a new workforce entrant's readiness to seek employment.
Vocational appraisals evaluate the whole individual including his or her work history, personality, functional capacity, social and emotional skills and limitations, and other characteristics. During the assessment process, any barriers to workforce entry may also be identified. A vocational appraisal is also called a vocational assessment or a vocational evaluation.
SureHire explains Vocational Appraisal
A vocational appraisal may include several different stages. During the first stage of the appraisal process an individual's employment needs and interests will be examined. This stage is usually followed by more quantitative assessments intended to determine the individual's existing skills and traits profile. Finally, the individual may be exposed to various interview and employment settings to further assess his or her preparedness to enter the workforce.
An in-depth vocational appraisal may take several weeks and include written testing, on the job evaluations, and other assessments. The goal of the vocational appraisal is to determine what steps remain to prepare a selected individual to enter the workforce and succeed.