TECH (Technician Occupations Selection System) Test

[TECH]

Technician Occupations Selection System (TECH): Used to help select employees for technician jobs that typically require a college degree. Examples of jobs covered by TECH are laboratory, environmental or chemistry technician; distribution planning technician; communications or telecommunications technician; drafter; and estimator.

Technician Occupations Selection System (TECH)

TECH is a battery of aptitude tests designed and validated to aid in the selection of candidates for electric utility industry technical occupations for which an associate degree is normally required. The generic job titles covered by the validation study are:

•    Chemistry/Laboratory/Environmental Technician
•    Communication/Telecommunication Technician
•    Design/Engineering Technician
•    Distribution/Planning Technician/Estimator
•    Drafter
•    Health Physics/Radiation Control Technician
•    Quality Assurance Technician
•    Testing/Relay Technician

HR Strategies (formerly Personnel Designs, Incorporated) conducted the research study. This large scale effort involved the cooperation of 23 investor-owned electric utility companies from all geographic regions of the United States and reflected a wide range of company sizes to ensure that the results of the study would apply to the broad range of technician positions and company environments.

The contractor conducted a detailed job analysis to gain information regarding the key activities and skill requirements of technician jobs and to identify selection procedures that would effectively measure the skills and abilities important to successful performance of these jobs.

The study also included the development of job performance measures to obtain supervisor ratings of job incumbents and to use in developing the experimental battery. The experimental battery was administered to over 2,100 technician job incumbents, followed by execution of a validation study to identify a professionally sound and practically useful selection system.

The final product consisted of two versions of the Tech battery containing four paper-and-pencil tests, with an administration time of approximately two hours.

A description of the four aptitude tests comprising the Tech battery is provided below:

Graphic Problem Solving. This test measures the ability to use numerical information presented in illustrations to solve practical arithmetic problems.

Interpreting Diagrams. This test measures the ability to use symbols and codes to locate objects on a map or diagram and to determine the object's status.

Mechanical Concepts. This test measures the ability to understand mechanical principles. There are 44 multiple-choice items. Each item contains a pictorial description of a mechanical situation, a question, and three possible answers. This test has a 20-minute time limit.

Reasoning from Rules. This test measures the ability to read and apply rules to make decisions and to troubleshoot a logic network.

Scoring and Interpretation: The TECH battery may be machine- or hand-scored. Scores on each test in the battery are combined to obtain an Overall Score, which predicts the candidate's likelihood of success in job performance.


Federal regulations mandate that employment tests must be job-related. EEI's employment test batteries are designed and validated for specific energy industry job families, including power plant operators, maintenance and craft positions, power dispatching positions, customer service representatives, and more.

EEI does not administer any of its employment tests directly to applicants. If you are interested in a position with an electric utility, please contact the utility directly for job and pre-employment testing information.

If you have previously taken an EEI employment test and are looking for your results, please understand that EEI does not provide results directly to applicants. If you have applied for a position with a utility company that requires an EEI test that you have already taken elsewhere, please be sure to notify the company to which you are applying.

Good study guides:

Master The Mechanical Aptitude and Spatial Relations Test
ARCO Mechanical Aptitude and Spatial Relations Tests
Arco Mechanical Aptitude and Spatial Relations Tests, Fifth Edition
Barron's Mechanical Aptitude and Spatial Relations Test

You can find EEI Practice Tests for CAST, POSS/MASS, SASS, TECH, SO/PD here.
User Name : southern Password: testing
User Name : exelon Password: operator
User Name : entergy Password: practice test
User Name : aep Password: aep
User Name: Reno Password: Tahoe


Duke applicants may retest every 90 days.
Southern Company applicants may retest every 45 days.
Entergy applicants may retest every 30 days, but not more than twice in 12 months.

[retired nuke]

Has anyone taken the EEI tech test?  How similar is it to the EEI practice test?  How is the test graded and do you know what the passing grade is?  I get nervous when things are timed.  Is the test set up where you can't answer all the questions in a given time frame? Are there any other practice test out there besides the one you see on most of the websites?

Hi, welcome to Nukeworker. Take a deep breath. Take the title of your question, and paste it into the search function at the top of the home page. There is a wealth of information here. Read through it. After looking it over, feel free to post specific questions. The shotgun method generally draws return fire.....
Peace 

[ncon315]

Hi I am currently applying for a chem tech position at fitzpatrick. I have to take the eei tech test I recently went over the study guide and had problem with graphic problem solving section. How similar is this to the real test and what is else is there to help me study.
I tried a search on this didn't come up with much. Anything will help
Thank you
Nick

[ncon315]

Hello I have a upcoming tech test and had some questions. I just took the practice exam and did fine on everything except the graphic problem solving. Is this similar to the real thing and is there anything that can help me better prepare. Any help would be greatly appreciated thank you
Nick

[heavymetal atom]

Welcome to nukeworker.

Doors has a good post in this thread about the TECH exam:  http://www.nukeworker.com/forum/index.php?topic=14247.0

If you're looking for anything much more specific than that I doubt you will find it.  Search around though and see what else you can dig up about preparing for it as there are several other threads which discuss it.  Best of luck.

-Tim   

[Fermi2]

There's no information anywhere on this anywhere on the web including here. I used the SEARCH function on this website and found nothing.
You're doomed dude.

Mike

[heavymetal atom]

There's no information anywhere on this anywhere on the web including here. I used the SEARCH function on this website and found nothing.
You're doomed dude.

Mike

Haha, I got a good laugh.  Love the sarcasm.  I was trying to get the SEARCH function message across as well, just in a different manner.  To use the words of another poster:
"Just stop being so hateful"   

-Tim 

[HydroDave63]

"You have the spirit to fight back but the good sense to control it. Your eyes are full of hate, Forty-One. That's good. Hate keeps a man alive. It gives him strength. "

Quintus Arrius to Judah Ben-Hur
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Ben-Hur_(1959_film)

[heavymetal atom]

"You have the spirit to fight back but the good sense to control it. Your eyes are full of hate, Forty-One. That's good. Hate keeps a man alive. It gives him strength. "

Quintus Arrius to Judah Ben-Hur
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Ben-Hur_(1959_film)

Quite apropos. 

[captain insano]

I just recently took the EEI Tech exam and passed.  The study guide is almost exactly like the real thing.  The tower example is very similar to the real thing.  Practice, practice, practice.  Time yourself (you get like 15 minutes) and get used to finding the "hidden" points on the test.  Some you add up, some are add and divide, etc.  Use the practice test, and time yourself!

[bob firth]

How do you study for this? it is not in the practice tests. I have never seen this version of drawings and symbols . I do not know what they are asking about on the test. I took this test before. I know relays. I do not know this version, though. Where do I find this stuff? Is there a book or study material that can prepare me for this test? I do well in all other test areas. Just this one test.
Thanks, Bob

[UncaBuffalo]

How do you study for this? it is not in the practice tests. I have never seen this version of drawings and symbols . I do not know what they are asking about on the test. I took this test before. I know relays. I do not know this version, though. Where do I find this stuff? Is there a book or study material that can prepare me for this test? I do well in all other test areas. Just this one test.
Thanks, Bob

Can you give us a link that shows the type of question you are having difficulties with?

(What I think you are saying is that they used unfamiliar schematic symbols.  There are 3 or 4 different sets of 'standard' symbols...and I got nailed by a test that used a set I wasn't familiar with, but...   If that is what you are saying, the only advice I can give you is to google (image) the symbols you had issues with & become familiar with them.  If I am completely off-base in my interpretation of the question, the link you provide will help us communicate.)

[Paul]

They are probably the old Edison symbols.
DC Cook uses them, many of the symbols are different from modern symbols.

[wicker28]

Took the test it was much harder than the practice test.  Had trouble with the first two sections.  The mechanical and reading were ok.   Any suggestions?

[New York]

I am taking the EEI tech test next week and had a few questions to ask the people who have taken it in the past. First is how is the test taken on the computer or paper, is the test the same length as the practice test, how do they grade the test, and is it a pass fail or do you get a grade. I hope someone can help me out with this I am going nuts trying to find this out.


Thanks

[orangeman1]

I too am taking the tech test next week and have a question on the "reasoning from rules" portion of the test.I have previously taken the test before and found it to be fairly simple minus the time constraints, however on the part where they had an electrical schematic diagram with a set of rules, I completely froze on this part and by the time i began to figure it out my time was up. Any help explaining section would be greatly appreciated.

[jpbass81]

Hi guys,

Im a experienced chemical tech in fossil fuels. I recently took the EEI Tech test for a Nuclear Plant. But I failed!! what made it so difficult was the fact that when I was taking the test it seemed easy. After I took the test the Chem Manager told me if I passed the test the job is mine. Well i got the bad news I failed. I was actually shocked and embarrased. It was tough because the job was right there and I failed the test. Good news I was told he is still interested in me and im allowed to retake the test in 30 days. i guess im asking if there any advice or similar experience someone has. Any study info specifically for the TECH test? The Poss seems different than the Tech test. Also any test taking advice? what you think might of been wrong and something that is easily oversighted with this test? Like I said alot of question I was comfortable with answering....so that is why it was a shock.  Thanks all....ill be prepared for my 2nd chance

[Llama]

If you google EEI Tech Test you will get:

http://www2.eei.org/practicetests/displayPage  (Practice tests use Tech Section)

http://www.edison.com/files/Tech_(5107).pdf   (Study Guide for the tests)

When searching this site you can get:

http://www.nukeworker.com/forum/index.php?topic=16835.0

http://www.nukeworker.com/forum/index.php?topic=17837.0

http://www.nukeworker.com/forum/index.php?topic=14247.0

And probably a few more

Hope this helps

[jpbass81]

Thanks llama,

Is it true that you should not answer questions you are not sure of. I have heard that it is based questions that you answered correctly. For example say the first section is 11 questions, if i only answer 6 and all of them correct....will i pass the test section? Im retaking the test on dec. 16 so hopefully I will have better results. Also is the test graded on the 4 individual sections? If i fail 1 section do I fail the whole test? or is it based on the whole test and just broken into sections? Just frustrating because it seems like alot of factors are left unknown with the test.

[Fermi2]

It is true that punctuating, capitalizing, and spelling correctly impresses employers.

[Cycoticpenguin]

I took the TECH test a month or so ago. It was cake, ESPECIALLY compared to the POSS. Im not going to compare myself to you, but if you can answer multiple choice questions and arent a simpleton, you should pass it just fine. The poss was in a whole different league, dont sweat this test tbh.

[techtoolong]

I read these bboks and passed first try and I have not been to school in over 20 years.
These books are references used to write the test available on Amazon.com

1. Mitchell, R., & Prickel, D. (1983). Graphs, Tables, Schedules, and Maps: The Real World of Adult Math, Number Power Ser. #5. New York: McGraw-Hill.

2.  Lawler, J., & Powers, R. (2003). ASVAB for Dummies. New York, NY: Wiley Publishing, Inc.

3. Chesla, E. (2002). Reasoning Skills Success in 20 Minutes a Day. New York, NY: Learning Express.

[chamberd]

GOOD LUCK on your test tomorrow jpbass
I am soon losing my semiconductor equipment job of 12 years and am gonna jump ship into this field.  BIG THANKS to those of you that are making suggestions in training aides.  It definitely helps reassure me and the others I 've seen post on this site to calm down.  It has been a while since doing any placement tests the big pucker tries to set in,  THANKS again for helping quell those fears!  Now to amazon... I got some books to order

[Cycoticpenguin]

GOOD LUCK on your test tomorrow jpbass
I am soon losing my semiconductor equipment job of 12 years and am gonna jump ship into this field.  BIG THANKS to those of you that are making suggestions in training aides.  It definitely helps reassure me and the others I 've seen post on this site to calm down.  It has been a while since doing any placement tests the big pucker tries to set in,  THANKS again for helping quell those fears!  Now to amazon... I got some books to order

Honestly, judging by the tests I've taken. The tech, mass, and poss are more tests of speed vs time, instead of intelligence. NO QUESTIONS ARE HARD on any of these test. If you can't tell if a longer handle will take less effort then a shorter handle, or that  2x + 2
= 0 => x=-1; then you probably don't need to be in this field.  Take the practice tests. Over and over. Until you can develop a strategy to take it and get accurate while maintaining a brisk pace. Thats where you will get the best improvement imho. These books are just methods of profiteering at best. Again, no single question on those tests is difficult. Literally speaking, an 8th grader can ace that test if given enough time.

Good luck to you sir, regardless of your path. Hopefully you can swap fields easily!  Good choice too... nuclear power "aint goin no where".

post 1 affirms my point as well.
http://www.nukeworker.com/forum/index.php/topic,26281.0.html

links for practice test are at top of this page.

[HydroDave63]

NO QUESTIONS ARE HARD on any of these test. If you can't tell if a longer handle will take less effort then a shorter handle, or that  2x + 2= 0 => x=-1; then you probably don't need to be in this field.

Quintessential!

I may or may not "borrow" the use of that quote in the future!