Assessment Testing
Testing as a First Step
Managers may opt to use assessment testing as the first step to determine technical training needs. Assessment testing is ideal for measuring an employees’ industry-specific competencies and determining if there are any knowledge gaps.
FPDA offers four distinct assessments: three test technical knowledge and competency in either Automation, Elector-Mechanical or Pneumatic-Hydraulics. The fourth assessment tests general technical knowledge as well as customer relations skills. Once completed, the manager will receive a comprehensive results report.
Follow these four steps to determine if additional technical training is needed:
Step 1: Purchase and assign an assessment to an employee
Step 2: Review the assessment results emailed to you
Step 3: Determine if a knowledge gap needs to be filled
Step 4: Purchase, create and assign a custom online Technical Training bundle
Click the respective link below to view a detailed description for each assessment as well as instructions for applying this 4-Step process.
Pricing:
- $50 each Assessment
- $450 Pack of 10 Assessments
- $175 for Combo Pack (includes all four assessments)
Assessment Details:
- Assessments are completed online. Results are sent to the requesting manager within 3 business days of completion.
- When an assessment is assigned to an employee, the manager will receive the assessment code and instructions to pass to the employee for logging in and accessing the assessment.
- Once the assessment code has been assigned
- The employee has 4 months to complete the assessment;
- The assessment must be completed in one setting;
- The assessment must be completed within 2-hours (no stopping or restarting)
- It is recommended that the employee NOT use reference material during the test; the goal of the assessment is to test their knowledge.
Hydraulic-Pneumatic
Step 1: Purchase and assign this assessment to an employee
Tests 22 areas of competency. Requires demonstrated knowledge in pneumatic and hydraulic systems including pressure and flow controls, pneumatic dryers and vacuums, hydraulic heat exchanges and filters, proportional controls, hydrostatics and ANSI symbology.
Step 2: Review the assessment results emailed to you
This 49 question assessment tests 22 areas of competency. To demonstrate competence, the employee must score an 89.8% (43 correct responses) or higher. The results will be presented to the manager in this format:
Step 3: Determine the knowledge gap(s) to be filled
In this instance, the employee scored 83.6% (41 correct responses) short of the score needed to demonstrate full competency. Decide if this knowledge level is sufficient or if additional training/course work is required. Use the chart below to review online technical courses that map to each of the 22 competencies.
Click on the course title to see a full course description.
Hydraulics Competencies |
Course Titles |
10. Demonstrate basic knowledge of hydraulic systems
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11. Demonstrate knowledge of pumps
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12. Demonstrate knowledge of hydraulic directional valves |
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13. Demonstrate knowledge of hydraulic pressure controls
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14. Demonstrate knowledge of hydraulic flow controls
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15. Demonstrate knowledge of hydraulic actuators
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16. Demonstrate basic knowledge of hydraulic power unit
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17. Demonstrate knowledge of heat exchangers
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18. Demonstrate knowledge of hydraulic filters
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19. Demonstrate knowledge of proportional controls |
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20. Demonstrate knowledge of hydrostatics |
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21. Demonstrate knowledge of accumulator
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22. Define ANSI Symbology related to hydraulics |
Pneumatic Competencies |
Tooling U Department |
Course Title |
1. Demonstrate basic knowledge of pneumatic systems
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Hydraulics and Pneumatics |
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Hydraulics and Pneumatics |
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Hydraulics and Pneumatics |
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Hydraulics and Pneumatics |
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Hydraulics and Pneumatics |
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Hydraulics and Pneumatics |
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Hydraulics and Pneumatics |
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Hydraulics and Pneumatics |
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Hydraulics and Pneumatics |
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Hydraulics and Pneumatics |
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Hydraulics and Pneumatics |
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2. Demonstrate knowledge of directional valves |
Hydraulics and Pneumatics |
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3. Demonstrate knowledge of pressure control valves |
Hydraulics and Pneumatics |
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Hydraulics and Pneumatics |
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4. Demonstrate knowledge of flow control valves |
Hydraulics and Pneumatics |
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Hydraulics and Pneumatics |
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5. Demonstrate knowledge of compressors |
Hydraulics and Pneumatics |
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Hydraulics and Pneumatics |
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Hydraulics and Pneumatics |
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Hydraulics and Pneumatics |
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Hydraulics and Pneumatics |
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7. Demonstrate knowledge of vacuum |
Hydraulics and Pneumatics |
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Hydraulics and Pneumatics |
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8. Demonstrate knowledge of air preparation |
Hydraulics and Pneumatics |
Step 4: Purchase, create and assign specific courses by purchasing a Build Your Own bundle.
Based on the results of this assessment and the course list above, the knowledge gaps could be easily filled through a customized Build Your Own course bundle.
Build Your Own Course bundle options:
- 5 x 5 Course Bundle: $1,200 (5 5-course bundle purchase required)
- 10 Course Bundle: $395
- 20 Course Bundle: $595
Electro-Mechanical
Step 1: Purchase and assign this assessment to an employee
Step 2: Review the assessment results emailed to you
This 44 question assessment tests 15 areas of competency. To demonstrate competence, the employee must score an 84.1% (37 correct responses) or higher. The results will be presented to the manager in this format:
Step 4: Purchase, create and assign specific courses by purchasing a Build Your Own bundle.
Based on the results of this assessment and the course list above, the knowledge gaps could be easily filled through a customized Build Your Own course bundle.
Build Your Own Course bundle options:
- 5 x 5 Course Bundle: $1,200 (5 5-course bundle purchase required)
- 10 Course Bundle: $395
- 20 Course Bundle: $595
Automation
Step 1: Purchase and assign this assessment to an employee
The Automation assessment tests 5 areas of competency. Requires demonstrated knowledge in application and limitations of PLCs, sensors and HMI, communication protocols and basic programming languages.
Step 2: Review the assessment results emailed to you
This brief 11 question assessment tests 5 areas of competency. To demonstrate competence, the employee must score an 81.8% (9 correct responses) or higher. The results will be presented to the manager in this format:
Step 3: Determine the knowledge gap(s) to be filled
In this instance, the employee scored 63.6% (7 correct responses). Decide if this knowledge level is sufficient or if additional training/course work is required. Use the chart below to review online technical courses that map to each of the 5 competencies.
Click on the course title to see full course description.
Automation Competency |
Tooling U Department |
Course Title |
1. Define basic applications and limitations of PLC’s |
PLCs |
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PLCs |
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PLCs |
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PLCs |
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PLCs |
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PLCs |
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PLCs |
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PLCs |
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PLCs |
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PLCs |
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PLCs |
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PLCs |
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PLCs |
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2. Describe basic applications and limitations of sensors |
Robotics |
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Robotics |
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Robotics |
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Robotics |
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Robotics |
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Motor Controls |
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Motor Controls |
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Motor Controls |
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3. Describe basic applications and limitations of HMI |
PLCs – Siemens |
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PLCs – Siemens |
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PLCs – Siemens |
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PLCs – Siemens |
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4. Define common types of communication protocols |
PLCs – Siemens |
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PLCs – Siemens |
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Robotics |
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5. Identify basic programming languages |
PLCs |
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PLCs |
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PLCs |
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PLCs |
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PLCs |
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PLCs – Siemens |
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PLCs – Siemens |
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PLCs – Siemens |
Basic Function Block Diagram Programming for Siemens PLCs 290 |
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PLCs – Siemens |
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PLCs – Siemens |
Function Block Diagram Timers and Counters for Siemens PLCs 310 |
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PLCs – Siemens |
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PLCs – Siemens |
Additional Function Block Diagram Instructions for Siemens PLCs 330 |
Sales Skills
Step 1: Purchase and assign this assessment to an employee
Tests 14 area of competency. Requires demonstrated knowledge in troubleshooting pneumatic, hydraulic and electro-mechanical systems, identifying profitability, account prospecting, time management and negotiation skills, and customer relationship building.
Step 2: Review the assessment results emailed to you
This 86 question assessment tests 14 areas of competency. To demonstrate competence, the employee must score an 87.2% (75 correct responses) or higher. The results will be presented to the manager in this format:
Step 3: Determine the knowledge gap(s) to be filled
In this instance, the employee scored 68.6% (59 correct responses) short of the score needed to demonstrate full competency. There is additional training/course work is required. Use the chart below to review online technical courses that map to each of the 14 competencies.
Integrated Sales Competencies |
Tooling U Department |
Course Title |
1 - 3. Understand and interpret schematics |
Applied Mathematics |
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Inspection |
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Inspection |
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Applied Mathematics |
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Inspection |
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Inspection |
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Electrical Systems |
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Hydraulics and Pneumatics |
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Motor Controls |
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Motor Controls |
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PLCs |
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1 - 3. Understand component sizing and how parts of the system work |
Electrical Systems |
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Electrical Systems |
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Hydraulics and Pneumatics |
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Hydraulics and Pneumatics |
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Mechanical Systems |
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PLCs |
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PLCs: Siemens |
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PLCs |
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PLCs: Siemens |
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1 - 3. Know what the various symbols mean and how they’re used |
Applied Mathematics |
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Inspection |
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Inspection |
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Electrical Systems |
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Hydraulics and Pneumatics |
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Motor Controls |
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Motor Controls |
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PLCs |
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1 - 3. Understand how to diagnose common problems |
Quality |
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1 - 3. Understand how to design and troubleshoot pneumatic systems, hydraulic systems, and electro-mechanical systems |
Hydraulics and Pneumatics |
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Hydraulics and Pneumatics |
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Hydraulics and Pneumatics |
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Business Sales |
Tooling U Department |
Course Title |
7. Define strategies for effective listening and questioning |
Supervisor Essentials |
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8. Understand characteristics of an effective presentation |
Supervisor Essentials |
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10. Understand and implement strategies for effective customer service and relationship building |
Quality |
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12 - 13. Demonstrate effective communications skills, and time management skills |
Supervisor Essentials |
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14. Define effective negotiations skills, including presenting your product as a solution, not a commodity |
Supervisor Essentials |
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Supervisor Essentials |
Step 4: Purchase, create and assign specific courses by purchasing a Build Your Own bundle.
Based on the results of this assessment and the course list above, the knowledge gaps could be easily filled through a customized Build Your Own course bundle.
Build Your Own Course bundle options:
- 5 x 5 Course Bundle: $1,200 (5 5-course bundle purchase required)
- 10 Course Bundle: $395
- 20 Course Bundle: $595
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