Qualification standards are the criteria, used by sponsors to select applicants into an eligibility pool. These qualification standards and the procedures used to determine the standards must be specified in detail in the sponsor's equal employment opportunity plan and must:

• Identify the specific criteria and attributes used to evaluate applicants;

• Specify the acceptable scores required for each qualification standard;

• Demonstrate a direct relationship between each qualification standard, its required score and the expected job performance;

• Establish a significant statistical relationship between the score required for admission to the pool and the applicant's performance in the apprenticeship program. This statistical relationship must be based upon the procedures discussed in 41 C.F.R. Part 60-3 (Guidelines on employee selection procedures); and

• Specify that the applicant has achieved an acceptable score on all the qualification. Unless an applicant achieves an acceptable score on all the qualification standards, the applicant will be ineligible for admission to the pool.

(1) Aptitude test scores for use as qualification standards. Aptitude tests may be used as qualification standards; however, any aptitude test score used as a qualification standard must be directly related to apprenticeship job performance. To demonstrate this relationship, there must be a significant statistical relationship between the aptitude test scores required for admission to the pool and performance in the apprenticeship program. In determining this relationship, the sponsor must follow the procedures discussed in 41 C.F.R. Part 60-3. These requirements also apply to any aptitude tests used by a program sponsor and administered either by a state employment agency or any person, agency or organization engaged in the selection or evaluation of personnel. If a national aptitude test is developed and administered by a national apprenticeship committee, it must meet these requirements before it will be approved by the United States Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Office of Apprenticeship.

(2) Educational achievements for use as qualification standards. Educational achievements can be used as qualification standards; however, all such achievements used to determine admission to a program pool must be directly related to apprenticeship job performance. This direct relationship must be demonstrated by a significant statistical relationship between the achievement scores required for admission and expected performance in the apprenticeship program. In demonstrating such a statistical relationship, the sponsor must meet the requirements of 41 C.F.R. Part 60-3.

Official school records or a certified passing grade on a general educational development (GED) test recognized by state or local public instruction officials shall be evidence of educational achievement. These education achievement requirements must be uniformly applied to all applicants.

(3) Role of the interview in the applicant selection process. Interviews must not be used as a qualification standard for admission to an eligibility pool for programs using the selection methods described in WAC 296-05-417 (1) and (2). However, after an applicant is placed in a pool and before selections are made from that pool, an applicant can be interviewed. When interviews are conducted, they must:

(a) Consist only of objective questions relevant to the applicant's fitness for the apprenticeship program.

(b) Not include questions related to qualifications previously used to determine entrance to the pool.

(c) Require each interviewer to record the questions and the general nature of the applicant's answers.

(d) Require each interviewer to prepare a summary of any interview conclusions.

Adequate records of the interviews must be kept including a brief summary and conclusion and how the specific factors like applicant motivation, ambition, and willingness to accept direction affected the interviewer's final decision.

(4) Examples of qualification standards include:

• Standardized aptitude tests;

• School diplomas or the equivalent;

• Health requirements essential to the chosen occupation;

• Interviews conducted in a fair manner (see subsection (3) of this section);

• School grades; and

• Previous work experience.

In applying these standards, the sponsor must meet the requirements of 41 C.F.R. Part 60-3.