(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.