The word “aptitude” is sometimes misused to mean ability or achievement. There is, however, a real and meaningful difference between the three words. Understanding the relationship between aptitude and ability can be a significant factor for your inspection operators.
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A basic description of the three terms can be thought of as:
• Aptitude: How quickly or easily you will be able to learn in the future
• Ability: What you are able to demonstrate in the present
• Achievement: What you have accomplished in the past
The nine aptitudes of the GATB
The nine aptitudes, as established by the U.S. Employment Service in its General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB), are purported to be useful for vocational and career assessment and counseling.
1. General intelligence: vocabulary, arithmetic reasoning, three dimensional space
2. Verbal aptitude: vocabulary
3. Numerical: computation, arithmetic reasoning
4. Spatial aptitude relates to understanding geometric forms, as well as understanding and identifying patterns and their meaning
5. Form perception includes inspecting and perceiving details in objects, and making visual comparisons between shapes. Examples: studying an object under a microscope, and quality inspection of goods
6. Clerical perception: name comparison
7. Motor coordinating: mark making
8. Finger dexterity: assemble and disassemble
9. Manual dexterity: place and turn
Aptitude and the aerospace quality inspector
Aerospace quality inspectors ensure that parts and components of aircraft and other aerospace equipment conform to design specifications and meet industry standards. The quality inspection involves visual analysis, using various techniques, of shapes, configurations, and materials. The process involves various disciplines of metrology, nondestructive evaluation, in-process and final product inspection, testing, assembly inspection, and electrical and electronic parts verification.
Data from these inspections are used in every step of design and manufacture of mission-critical components. Thus, we can see that quality inspections in the aerospace industry are also mission critical.
To ensure the highest integrity of inspection data, considering the aptitude of the personnel involved in the inspection work itself could be very useful.
Relation between aptitudes and aerospace quality inspection
From an employer’s perspective
The aptitudes listed above relate to the skills attributes of quality inspection work. Employers would be wise to consider aptitudes linked to quality inspection skills for the personnel involved. Mapping can be done to relate various aptitudes to the quality inspection skills, as shown in figure 2 below.
From an employee’s perspective
The bond between aptitudes and aerospace quality inspection can be enhanced by the career path of the individual (figure 3). Different aptitudes can be added at each stage of the career, starting with an apprenticeship in the relevant field. Because aerospace is a safety-critical industry, certifications play an important role, as do recertification and advanced training and education.
Developing all the aptitudes, in conjunction with technical skills, of inspection technicians can be a daunting task because it involves continuous motivation and resources. But since aerospace inspection is critical, constant support from management is very important. Under the tutelage of leaders in the field, individuals can enhance their personal aptitudes, thus improving quality inspection at the organization level. The identified aptitudes and skills can be honed at every level to achieve total system improvement.
Comments
Aptitude + Performance ??
Having aptitude is useful, but far froma guarantee of performance.
Yes rightly said sir.
Yes rightly said sir. Aptitude and performance should go in hand and hand with the support and appreciation from the management to work towards improvements.
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