CAPS Evaluation for Vocational Placement
J Howe
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The Career Ability Placement Survey (CAPS) is designed as a brief abilities test to "measure of abilities related to occupations and careers"(Knapp, Knapp and Knapp, 2003, p.1). Its companion test, COPS System Career Clusters, measures an individual's interests in relation to vocations. These two 
measures can be used independently or on conjunction with each other.
Both the CAPS and COPS seek to assist individuals in defining areas for career exploration based on their specific abilities and interests respectively. It seeks to identify clusters or families of occupations, rather than specific jobs or occupations. The 14 career or occupational clusters are science skilled and professional, technology skilled and professional, consumer economics, outdoor, business skilled and professional, clerical, communication, arts skilled and professional, service skilled and professional. For those clusters which include both skilled and professional categories, the use of the COPS system can eliminate categories based on the individual's willingness to pursue further education or not. The CAPS test is less definitive in its results in this manner. Its scores show that the individual's abilities may be better suited to the skilled cluster of an occupation rather than the professional cluster of that particular field, as its results are presented as more of a continuum. The professional categories typically require college training and often advanced degrees. For those occupations in the skilled level many would require specialized training such as vocational training or on the job training, however there are also those which would require little or no specialized training such as a janitor or baggage handler.
Both the CAPS and COPS seek to assist individuals in defining areas for career exploration based on their specific abilities and interests respectively. It seeks to identify clusters or families of occupations, rather than specific jobs or occupations. The 14 career or occupational clusters are science skilled and professional, technology skilled and professional, consumer economics, outdoor, business skilled and professional, clerical, communication, arts skilled and professional, service skilled and professional. For those clusters which include both skilled and professional categories, the use of the COPS system can eliminate categories based on the individual's willingness to pursue further education or not. The CAPS test is less definitive in its results in this manner. Its scores show that the individual's abilities may be better suited to the skilled cluster of an occupation rather than the professional cluster of that particular field, as its results are presented as more of a continuum. The professional categories typically require college training and often advanced degrees. For those occupations in the skilled level many would require specialized training such as vocational training or on the job training, however there are also those which would require little or no specialized training such as a janitor or baggage handler.