The word “aptitude” is sometimes misused to mean ability or achievement. There is, however, a real and meaningful difference between the three words. Understanding the relationship between aptitude and ability can be a significant factor for your inspection operators.

A basic description of the three terms can be thought of as:
• Aptitude: How quickly or easily you will be able to learn in the future
• Ability: What you are able to demonstrate in the present
• Achievement: What you have accomplished in the past

The nine aptitudes of the GATB

The nine aptitudes, as established by the U.S. Employment Service in its General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB), are purported to be useful for vocational and career assessment and counseling.

Figure 1: The nine aptitudes of the U.S. Employment Service General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB)

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