Section 618.355 - Knowledge, skills, and abilities of staff performing assessments(a) Staff performing either the initial or comprehensive and specialized assessment must possess the following knowledge and abilities: (1) Knowledge of the local labor market;(2) Knowledge of local employer and occupation skill demands and hiring prerequisites, such as educational requirements and professional certifications;(3) The ability to identify transferable skills that a trade-affected worker may possess that would be of interest to other local employers outside of the worker's present occupational area;(4) The ability to evaluate quickly a worker's ability to conduct a self-directed job search; and(5) The ability to identify barriers to a worker's employment that could be overcome with training and case management services.(b) The staff performing these initial and comprehensive and specialized assessments may be from any partner program.(c) Funds under section 235A(1) of the Act may be used to improve and maintain the knowledge and abilities of staff conducting assessments for trade-affected workers.