Qualifications for a TSO
Jun 12, 2006 | 3:04 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: New York
Posts: 293
Qualifications for a TSO
I thought that some of this was funny
Qualifications
You must be a U.S.Citizen or U.S. National; AND
You must have a high school diploma, GED or equivalent; OR at least one year of full-time work experience in security work, aviation screener work, or x-ray technician work.
In order to successfully perform this work, TSOs must possess the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:
English Proficiency (e.g., reading, writing, speaking, listening)
Mental Abilities (e.g., visual observation and identification, mental rotation) Many do not even know how to breath and talk at the same time.
Interpersonal Skills (e.g., customer service, dependability)
Who are they trying to kid?
Work Values (e.g., responsibility, honesty, integrity)
Physical Abilities(e.g. repeatedly lifting and carrying baggage weighing up to 70 lbs, bending, reaching, stooping, squatting, standing, and walking and identifying objects by touch). :-)
Color perception (e.g., red, green, blue, yellow, orange, purple, brown, black, white, gray) note: color filters (e.g., contact lenses) for enhancing color discrimination are prohibited. LOL this is black everybody.
Qualifications
You must be a U.S.Citizen or U.S. National; AND
You must have a high school diploma, GED or equivalent; OR at least one year of full-time work experience in security work, aviation screener work, or x-ray technician work.
In order to successfully perform this work, TSOs must possess the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:
English Proficiency (e.g., reading, writing, speaking, listening)
Mental Abilities (e.g., visual observation and identification, mental rotation) Many do not even know how to breath and talk at the same time.
Interpersonal Skills (e.g., customer service, dependability)
Who are they trying to kid?
Work Values (e.g., responsibility, honesty, integrity)
Physical Abilities(e.g. repeatedly lifting and carrying baggage weighing up to 70 lbs, bending, reaching, stooping, squatting, standing, and walking and identifying objects by touch). :-)
Color perception (e.g., red, green, blue, yellow, orange, purple, brown, black, white, gray) note: color filters (e.g., contact lenses) for enhancing color discrimination are prohibited. LOL this is black everybody.
Jun 12, 2006 | 3:49 pm
#2
Join Date: May 2002
Location: In the home of the "brave"?
Programs: Whatever will get me out of Y and into C or F!
Posts: 3,748
Originally Posted by deltajfk
You must be a U.S.Citizen or U.S. National;
Originally Posted by deltajfk
Color perception (e.g., red, green, blue, yellow, orange, purple, brown, black, white, gray) note: color filters (e.g., contact lenses) for enhancing color discrimination are prohibited.
Jun 12, 2006 | 10:44 pm
#4
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Originally Posted by Spiff
Pulse*
*Requirement may be waived
*Requirement may be waived
Jun 14, 2006 | 12:18 pm
#9
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Sorry, Bart, those requirements are pretty much the same as working at McDonald's. Even McDonald's has areas to "ceritify" in. And as you said, the tests aren't that hard to certify.
You're obviously way overqualified for the job. However, seeing that they'll hire high school drop outs that worked as rent-a-cops for a year, it makes you wonder if these are the people we want protecting our freedoms. The work isn't terribly difficult, it can get boring and the pay isn't that great, so it's a catch 22 on getting good people.
You're obviously way overqualified for the job. However, seeing that they'll hire high school drop outs that worked as rent-a-cops for a year, it makes you wonder if these are the people we want protecting our freedoms. The work isn't terribly difficult, it can get boring and the pay isn't that great, so it's a catch 22 on getting good people.
Jun 14, 2006 | 9:03 pm
#11
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Originally Posted by Bart
Here are the qualifications for a typical employee position with McDonald's. Make the comparison:
Qualification Requirements:
Required to work less than 35 hours per week for part-time & 35+ hours per week for full-time classification. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty to an acceptable level. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
Required to work less than 35 hours per week for part-time & 35+ hours per week for full-time classification. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty to an acceptable level. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
Language Skills:
Effectively present information to customers, employees & management. Ability to comprehend & carry out oral & written instructions. Ability to properly respond to common inquiries or complaints from employees, customers, regulatory agencies or members of the business community. Able to speak, read & write the English language.
Effectively present information to customers, employees & management. Ability to comprehend & carry out oral & written instructions. Ability to properly respond to common inquiries or complaints from employees, customers, regulatory agencies or members of the business community. Able to speak, read & write the English language.
Mathematical Skills:
Ability to work with & apply mathematical concepts such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, fractions, percentages, & proportions to practical situation. Ability to count money & make change accurately.
Ability to work with & apply mathematical concepts such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, fractions, percentages, & proportions to practical situation. Ability to count money & make change accurately.
Reasoning Ability:
Ability to solve practical problems & deal with a variety of situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram or schedule form.
Ability to solve practical problems & deal with a variety of situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram or schedule form.
Physical Demands:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, use hands & fingers, handle or feel objects, use tools, controls & equipment, reach with hands & arms, talk & hear. The employee will frequently climb, balance, bend, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, taste & smell. The employee is required to carry trash containers & to tolerate cleaning products. The employee is required clean the location, parking lot & surrounding area. The employee must regularly lift &/or move up to 10 pounds & occasionally lift &/or move up to 60 pounds & be able to stand physical demands of a 4 to 12 hour shift. Specific vision abilities required by this job are close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception & ability to adjust focus.
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, use hands & fingers, handle or feel objects, use tools, controls & equipment, reach with hands & arms, talk & hear. The employee will frequently climb, balance, bend, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, taste & smell. The employee is required to carry trash containers & to tolerate cleaning products. The employee is required clean the location, parking lot & surrounding area. The employee must regularly lift &/or move up to 10 pounds & occasionally lift &/or move up to 60 pounds & be able to stand physical demands of a 4 to 12 hour shift. Specific vision abilities required by this job are close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception & ability to adjust focus.
and we haven't even addressed successfully passing the TSA assessment tests and certification tests (x-ray imagery proficiency test, basic screening skills evaluations, etc.)
Sorry, your McDonald's comparison....doesn't
Jun 14, 2006 | 10:48 pm
#13
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Originally Posted by Bart
The biggest thing that flunks most TSA applicants is x-ray interpretation. Whether you want to admit it or not, it takes a degree of skill to look at two-dimensional images and perceive three dimensional objects. In any organization, there's always an entry level of a minimum set of requirements. Identifying a profile image of a pistol, for example, is an entry level skill. Within a month of being trained, that operator must now identify the same object from all sorts of angles, including the most difficult one: head-on (pistol pointing towards you). The same goes for IEDs, but I can't go into detail about the different types of images we use. Suffice it to say that the traditional three sticks with a 9v battery, alarm clock and inserted detonator is the entry level image. It gets progressively more challenging from that point on. I seriously doubt McDonald's has a program that presents similar challenges to its employees.
TSA screeners are required to be dual-functioned. They must be knowledgeable of screening procedures at both checkpoint and checked baggage. They must maintain a weekly standard of proficiency that is recorded monthly. In other words, in order to accomodate for leaves (vacation), they have to meet a certain standard within a 30 day period but is accounted each week. Every year, screeners are evaluated on their proficiency in both areas. TSA is now moving towards a quarterly evaluation in both areas. I seriously doubt McDonald's has a similar program. The duties for a McDonald's employee is significantly simple compared to the various duties performed by TSA screeners.
Based on my experiences (and I'm sure others would back this up), the knowledge factor of a lot of screeners is lacking. They might be able to pick out a bomb on a screen, but they can't pick discern an inch.
While McDonald's might not be as rigorousin their testing, I have no doubt that there evals to ensure that they're doing skills correctly. Even as a teenager many years ago (I'm probably older than you think
) working at Little Caesars, we had skillls we had to pass off. They had to protect their image and quality (think of it what you will), and you were gonna pass it if you wanted to continue working.
The SOP expanded from a relatively simple format to a more elaborate one. A wide range of screening scenarios are addressed in the SOP. Every couple of weeks, there are updates that either clarify the interpretation of a certain procedure or modify that procedure. The screener is responsible for staying current. I seriously doubt McDonald's procedures change over a given period of time or require as many updates.
I'd argue that for the most part, that the SOP shouldn't have to change as much as you state. I'd say get it right the first time, or first few times at least. I'm realistic enough to understand that the process will need some tweaks here and there. However, updates that often indicate to me that there's a deeper problem and it was either poorly planned, poorly executed, or both.
McDonald's employees undergo a relatively simple criminal records check as opposed to the background check that TSA employees undergo. I don't know how often McDonald's employees undergo random drug tests; we get them pretty regularly. I don't know if off-duy conduct has the same impact on McDonald's employees as they do on TSA employees. While there's some controversy about how invasive TSA is into our personal lives as employees, there are policies that attempt to regulate our off-duty as well as on-duty conduct.
The most common complaint outside FlyerTalkWorld is how rude customers are treated at....McDonald's. You may have been away for a while, but the typical complaint is about how McDonald's employees aren't courteous or friendly. I'm not saying that there aren't rude TSA employees; however, even in FlyerTalk, many members admit that TSA screeners are more professional, courteous and friendly than their contracted predecessors. The complaints deal more with TSA policy than they do TSA employee behavior, although, as we used to say in the Army, one aw-sh*t wipes out a whole bunch of attaboys, and the complaints of "retaliatory screening" focus more on the minority of TSA screeners as opposed to the majority.
Pre-9/11 screeners were more or less the same way. Not the happiest of folk, but I got thru quickly and without a hassle. Then again, I'm not there to share my life story or chat about football either. Screening was adequate. No planes fell out of the sky and there were no hijackings.
I think things changed with TSA as they definitely need a more positive PR image. The things we complain about ... the long lines, shoe carnivals, etc, are TSA's own making. So when we get up there, they had damn well better have a smile on their face. Of course I've met professional and happy people. I've met many that weren't. While it may be a small minority of bad apples at your airport, it isn't that way everywhere else. You've been offered many chances to see that for yourself at no cost to you.
Instead, what I find disturbing is the elitist attitude that some members seem to have with both TSA and McDonald's employees. I didn't know that working at a particular job was something to be ashamed or embarrassed of. While I've pointed out that there is no comparison between TSA and McDonald's employees, in no way am I attempting to belittle or condescend the work that McDonald's employees perform. I appreciate good service whenever I receive it, and I don't pass any judgment on the work anyone does.
You seem to forget that as a retired field grade officer, I've pretty much been there, done that. If you have any familiarity with the career path of military officers, then you should understand the wide variety of tasks, jobs and duties performed that rival those performed by many corporate executives. I choose to do the work I do, and I appreciate the simple satisfaction of a good honest day's work, even when dealing with people who have no appreciation for what I do.
I'm surprised that you aren't more objective.
I'm surprised that you aren't more objective.
I really think you should take a step back and try to see what we see and experience. Fly thru IAD, DEN, or EWR and please try to tell us that we're exaggerating. Ask Joe Traveler what he thinks is the biggest hassle in air travel today. When I did my briefing last year on shoe carnivals for a briefing skills class (the class was made of run of the mill civilian and military folks, and taught by a retired AF E-9), I got that reaction. I started of my briefing "Hi, I'm Superguy. And I love to travel. If you were to name one thing about air travel that was the biggest pain, what would it be?" Everyone simultaneously said security.
I don't doubt that TSA wants people to be professional. But theory and practice are two different things.
Super
Jun 15, 2006 | 6:33 pm
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: New York
Posts: 293
I am sorry Bart, but it is harder to get a job at Taco Bell or McDonalds then to become a TSO.
Lets face the facts:
1. TSO officers don't know what 0+0
2. Since TSO officers are illegal citizens they only know how to say a few phrases in the English Language
:We recommend you take your shoes off
:You are going to secondary
:Let me see your ID
:I like what is in your bag, I am confiscating that
3: They think that New Mexico is an international destination
So why don't you just admit that it is easier to get a job at Taco Bell/McDonalds then to become a TSO
Lets face the facts:
1. TSO officers don't know what 0+0
2. Since TSO officers are illegal citizens they only know how to say a few phrases in the English Language
:We recommend you take your shoes off
:You are going to secondary
:Let me see your ID
:I like what is in your bag, I am confiscating that
3: They think that New Mexico is an international destination
So why don't you just admit that it is easier to get a job at Taco Bell/McDonalds then to become a TSO