Tag Archives: Jordan Peterson

Overcoming The Hidden Hurdle: Rising To The Challenge of Test Nerves in High-stakes Vocational Assessments⤴

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I was fortunate to be able to catch the young electrician apprentice who fainted in front of me.

Introduction

For many, a high-stakes examination is merely a hurdle. Personally, I thrive on the challenge; the intense preparation, the moment of tension upon opening the examination paper, the possibility of failure. But I recognize that not everyone feels the same as me. For an apprentice, particularly one from a lower socioeconomic background, that final, high-stakes, summative assessment isn't just an assessment; it's a gateway to a meaningful future, a hard-earned step out of precarity, and if getting the apprenticeship in the first place was the start of a journey into an industry with many different facets to it, the other side of that assessment is a giant leap on that journey.



Yet, a hidden hurdle often stands in their way: the debilitating grip of test nerves. This intense nervousness acts as a 'construct irrelevant variance' (CIV), somethinng that affects a candidate's mark other than the skills, knowledge or understanding that the assessment is intended to assess. From an educational perspective this disruptive force undermines the very point, the very foundation of the assessment. From a human perspective, this disruptive force unfairly distorts the candidate's true capabilities and threatens to derail their pursuit of what truly matters.


The "Meaningful Aim"

High stakes vocational assessments are public statements of confidence in the competence of candidates to become electricians. In Scotland, the high-stakes summative vocational assessment for electricians is FICA, the Final Integrated Competence Assessment. (A brief personal note: whilst I'm fortunate to be a FICA Assessor, this piece is written in a purely personal capacity to discuss the general nature of such assessments. It's not my workplace or FICA specifically that's under discussion).

After four or five years of on-the-job training and college work, the apprentice's performance at FICA determines whether they are ready to become a fully qualified electrician. This single assessment carries immense weight, influencing career prospects, earning potential, and overall life trajectory. It is, in essence, a rite of passage marking a significant transition, which, in the language of the 1980’s when I became an electrician, marks the transition from boy to (journey) man.

Jordan Peterson's philosophy often centres on the idea that individuals find meaning and purpose by voluntarily confronting the chaos and challenges inherent in life, taking on responsibility, and striving towards a higher aim. For an apprentice in Scotland pursuing an electrical installation qualification, the journey itself—the years of rigorous training, the mastery of complex technical skills, and the dedication to a demanding craft—is a clear embodiment of "pursuing what matters”. Becoming an electrician, a competent and valued member of society. Someone who solves people's problems and who can make people's lives easier or better, is a concrete meaningful aim; a step out of the chaos (unemployment, financial insecurity) and into a structured responsible role within their trade and society. This pursuit, laden with profound personal, familial and social responsibility can, not unsurprisingly, amplify the emotional response associated with taking any test. More precisely, the fear of failing and falling down the social hierarchy can provoke overwhelming nervousness that interferes with cognitive function and performance.

Confronting Internal Chaos (Nervousness as CIV)

Peterson emphasizes that growth and meaning emerge from confronting the unknown and the chaotic, both externally and internally. Debilitating test nervousness represents a significant internal chaos. It's a psychological "dragon" that, if left unaddressed, can undermine all the diligent preparation and genuine competence an apprentice has accumulated. This nervousness is a CIV because it introduces variability into the test score that is irrelevant to the apprentice's actual electrical knowledge and skill. It's the internal chaos preventing the effective pursuit of the meaningful aim.

In my experience, nervousness as CIV manifests itself in distinct cognitive and physiological ways. Cognitively, this ranges from difficulties focusing on reading guidance material or recalling learned information. It's not because they haven't gained semantic and episodic knowledge but because they simply can't access the learned material because of exam stress. Physiologically, the hands of some candidates sweat and shake so much that it's almost impossible for them to place the probe onto the connection. In order to guide the probe onto the terminal they put themselves in danger by putting their fingers beyond the insulated barriers.

For those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, this pressure can be particularly acute. They may face additional nervousness stemming from:


The Paradox of Resources: Whilst some apprentices from more affluent backgrounds might have access to private tutoring, extensive study materials, the vast majority of apprentices that I encounter don't obviously come from the more affluent end of the income scale. Those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds may lack these advantages, and may not come from a supportive home environment conducive to learning. This can lead to increased anxiety about being under-prepared. However, a supportive home environment conducive to learning can cut both ways, especially if the apprentice is the child of an electrician who happens to also be their employer - the pressure for approval becomes both professional and deeply personal. 

Fear of Failure and Limited Opportunities & The Burden of Responsibility: The consequences of failing a high-stakes vocational exam can be more profound for apprentices with fewer safety nets. The financial implications and the potential impact on their ability to secure stable employment can fuel intense nervousness. This heightened sense of responsibility, while a core tenet of Peterson's philosophy for a well-lived life, can paradoxically amplify test anxiety. The fear of failing not just themselves, but also those who depend on them, can trigger overwhelming nervousness that interferes with cognitive function and performance.

Stereotype Threat: In Scotland's education system, there is often a subtle yet pervasive bias that regards the trades as a fallback for those “not good enough” for university.  The clear signal that Scottish education system sends is that the skills required to get you to university are of more value than the skills that get you an apprenticeship. Richard Reeves, in his book Of Boys and Men argues for a massive investment in male-friendly vocational education and training noting that doing more for boys and men does not require an abandonment of gender equality. The vast majority of young apprentice electricians in Scotland are white, working-class males. So in addition to overcoming the educational stigma of their chosen goal,  they now have the added burden of their race, class, and gender to bear. In the circumstances it seems reasonable to wonder if the people who erected these hurdles are capable of dismantling them. Success in a high stakes vocational assessment might prove the stereotypical clichés wrong. But the terrifying inverse is that failure might just confirm all those negative biases about their abilities. ‘What if “they” were right all along?’ This added pressure can further hinder their performance.

The Impact on Performance and Validity

Consider the practical aspects of a high-stakes summative assessment in electrical installation. An apprentice must possess a deep understanding of wiring circuits, safety regulations, and fault diagnosis—the very 'order' that they have painstakingly learned to impose on complex systems. Yet, under this immense pressures the internal dragon of chaos prevents the effective manifestation of their hard-won order in the world. Research consistently shows a negative correlation between test nerves and performance, meaning highly skilled apprentices can under-perform simply because these nerves prevent them from accurately demonstrating their abilities. This isn't just a problem for the apprentice; it is, at this exact same moment, a fundamental problem for the assessment itself. The assessment is no longer doing what it's designed to do. It's no longer accurately determining if an apprentice is ready to become an electrician. It's at this point that the CIV doesn't just undermine the candidate's performance but also undermines the validity of the assessment, not merely its content. This critical flaw leads some progressive educationalists to argue for the abolition of high-stakes assessment altogether based on a seemingly logical rationale: ‘No assessment = no nerves = no problem’. This simplistic solution overlooks the vital function these assessments serve in ensuring public confidence and professional competence. However, a failure to recognize the significance of this threat to the assessment's validity won't make the simplistic solution go away.


The Call to Order

The more prepared you are, the more confident you'll be.

Jordan Peterson advocates for bringing order to chaos. For the apprentice, this means not only mastering the technical ‘order’ of electrical systems but also imposing order on their internal state. Strategies to mitigate test nervousness—such as thorough preparation, stress management techniques, and familiarization with the assessment format—are, in essence, acts of bringing order to that internal chaos. They are practical steps in the voluntary confrontation of a personal limitation that threatens their meaningful pursuit. Educational institutions clearly have a practical and ethical role to play in mitigating the impact of nervousness as a CIV. What they shouldn't do is overcompensate by teaching to the test. Apprentices have to learn to take responsibility for their learning, their decisions and their actions. Transforming them into test-passing robots serves only one person: you. It flatters your educational vanity, and it compensates for your own feelings of inadequacy by inadequately preparing the apprentice for the challenge. 


Institutions can:

Enhance Preparation and Familiarity. Provide detailed and aligned instructional materials, realistic practice tests, and incorporate low-stakes formative assessments to build-up the apprentice's confidence. They could help too by not providing false information about the assessment. 

Emphasize Mastery and Growth: Focus on demonstrating a mastery of skills and knowledge. By pursuing quality workmanship, and not tolerating a “just get the job done" attitude, apprentices can become more than electricians, they can become good electricians who can subsequently rise into the management sphere with the acknowledged respect of their peers.
Provide Constructive Feedback and Support: Implement infrastructure to provide detailed feedback and opportunities for improvement, thus fostering an inclusive learning environment.

Teach Genuine Coping Strategies: Breathing correctly, for example, helps you control your nervous system function. James Nestor advocates a simple solution of breathing slower, inhaling and exhaling through the nose rather than the mouth. The rhythm matters too. If you inhale, through your nose for three, and back out through your nose for a count of twelve you will feel your heart rate slowly go down. This is not the same thing as medicalizing students.

By implementing these practical strategies, vocational education institutions can create a more supportive and less nervousness-provoking assessment environment. By doing so they will have played their role in removing the CIV that impedes an apprentice's ability to demonstrate their true mastery, and thereby empowered the apprentice to more effectively pursue the meaningful aim of a skilled and stable career.


Conclusion

The pervasive influence of nervousness in high-stakes vocational assessments represents a critical challenge. This intense experience acts as a significant barrier that can unfairly impact their performance and future. By recognizing this nervousness as a profound source of CIV, and implementing practical strategies to mitigate its effects, vocational institutions can ensure fairer and more accurate evaluations, empowering all apprentices to demonstrate their true potential and build successful careers. Addressing this hidden hurdle is not just about improving test scores; it's about creating an environment that serves the best interests of the apprentice, vocational education institutions, and the wider society. In this light, the nervousness experienced by apprentices in high-stakes vocational tests is not merely an inconvenience; it's a direct challenge to their ability to pursue what matters most to them. Overcoming this CIV becomes a crucial part of their journey, a personal act of courage and responsibility that aligns deeply with the principles of finding meaning through confronting life's inevitable difficulties.

Ultimately, addressing nervousness as a CIV in high-stakes vocational assessment is more than just of psychometric interest; it's a commitment to human potential. For all apprentices, and particularly those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, these assessments are crucibles where their dedication to ‘pursuing what matters’ is put to the ultimate test. By proactively mitigating the debilitating effects of nervousness—the debilitating chaos that can obscure their true abilities—vocational education institutions can ensure that assessment outcomes genuinely reflect an individual's hard-earned skills and character, rather than the arbitrary influence of fear. This approach not only strengthens the validity of our qualifications but also empowers every apprentice to step confidently into the meaningful future that they have worked so hard to build.


Sources

Reeves, R.V. (2022) Of Boys and Men: Why The Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do about It, Swift Press 

UMD Special Collections and University Archives, Hurdling Tradition, Flickr, https://flic.kr/p/drUnrh, accessed 25th May 2025, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/deed.en

Mackay, B. & K., (2020) Podcast #638: How Changing Your Breathing Can Change Your Life, The Art of Manliness, Health, Health and Fitness, AoM Team • August 24, 2020 • Last updated: October 1, 2021, 
https://www.artofmanliness.com/health-fitness/health/importance-of-proper-breathing/, accessed 21st May 2025.

The quote is from a National Electrotechnical Training video on LinkedIn, (NET video)

Assessment for Life: A Three-Dimensional Approach to Professional Growth⤴

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What does "Assessment for Life" mean to you?

I was introduced to this deeply ambiguous phrase on my first week, on the Cambridge Assessment Network's course, "A101: Introducing the Principles of Assessment" I'd never heard the phrase before let alone considered what it might mean to me. Mulling over the phrase's ambiguous meanings gave rise to this post.


Three-Dimensional Learning


The complex and connected professional landscape that we occupy is never still. It, like us, is in a constant state of evolution: be it some new blog post to be read, some new technology to be grappled or some new take on an old idea there's always something going on somewhere. Out of this ferment of complexity, "Assessment for Life" emerges as a critical framework for sustained competence and growth. Rather than viewing Continuous Professional Development as a series of check-boxes to tick, Assessment for Life represents a fundamental shift in how we approach learning, competence, and personal evolution throughout our careers.

The Three Dimensions of Assessment for Life


1. Maintenance CPD: Staying Afloat in Changing Waters


The first dimension is the continuous professional development required to maintain baseline competence. This includes mandatory certifications, recurring training cycles, and staying current with evolving standards. Think of First Aid re-certification or Amendments to BS 7671. These aren't optional luxuries; these are the essential requirements for professional practice. This maintenance CPD operates on predictable cycles, whether annual, biennial, or triggered by regulatory change. It's the professional equivalent of treading water – essential for survival - but not necessarily propelling us forward. It's the professional equivalent of the Di Lampedusa strategy:

everything has to change in order to stay the same.

Yet, without this foundation, everything else becomes impossible.


2. Developmental CPD: Reaching Beyond Current Limits


The second dimension transcends maintenance and ventures into growth territory. This is CPD that doesn't aim to keep you in the same place – which is already challenging enough – but pushes toward something bigger, more difficult, something that expands your existing limits. Developmental CPD is uncomfortable by design. It requires stepping into domains where competence isn't guaranteed, where failure becomes a teacher rather than an enemy. This might involve pursuing advanced qualifications, taking on leadership roles outside your comfort zone, or engaging with entirely new methodologies that challenge your established ways of thinking. This dimension operates on longer cycles – often measured in months or years rather than weeks. It requires sustained commitment and tolerance for the discomfort that accompanies genuine growth.


3. The Attitudinal Foundation: Humility as the Cornerstone


The third dimension is perhaps the most crucial: the personal attitude that makes Assessment for Life possible. Without the right state of mind, both maintenance and developmental CPD become exercises in resentment rather than growth.

The Peterson Perspective: Competence, Humility, and Responsibility


Jordan Peterson is one of the foremost public intellectuals of our time, and his work provides valuable insights into this attitudinal dimension. In his exploration of personal responsibility and meaning, Peterson emphasizes that true competence requires an ongoing relationship with humility. Humility, he notes in 12 Rules for Life, is the ordered recognition of personal insufficiency and the willingness to learn. The chaotic contrast, assuming that you know everything, is static, unchanging, and an unlived life. Peterson's concept of "standing up straight with your shoulders back" isn't then about false confidence or rigid pride in existing competence. Instead, it's about maintaining dignity while remaining open to growth and correction. This paradox – confidence coupled with humility – forms the psychological foundation necessary for lifelong assessment and development. Secondly, Peterson's emphasis on "cleaning up your own room" before attempting to change the world applies directly to personal professional development. (It also applies to institutional development; but that's a different story!) Before we can meaningfully contribute to our fields, we must honestly assess our own competence, acknowledge our limitations, and commit to continuous improvement. Thirdly, and of particular relevance, is Peterson's discussion of the "competence hierarchies," which unlike power hierarchies, are both inevitable and beneficial, especially when they reward genuine skill and contribution. When there's an electrical problem, you want someone who can diagnose the problem and put it right. Good, if they can put it back the way it was. Even better if they solve the problem using better quality materials, leaving a job that is both safer and neater. However, maintaining position in such hierarchies requires continuous investment in growth and constant vigilance against complacency.


The Arrogance Trap


When professionals become overly proud of their current competence, the challenge in Assessment for Life transforms from opportunity into threat. This arrogance creates a defensive posture where new requirements are seen as impositions rather than invitations to grow. It is a road that leads ultimately to professional nihilism where everything is sh☆te. Peterson's work on the psychological importance of challenge and difficulty becomes crucial here. In 12 Rules for Life (Rule 1), Peterson emphasizes that voluntary exposure to controlled challenges builds resilience and competence. When we frame ongoing assessment as voluntary challenge rather than external imposition, we maintain agency and purpose in our development. The prideful, arrogant professional says, "I already know enough." The growth-oriented professional asks, "What don't I know that I need to learn?" This shift in questioning transforms the entire experience of professional development from burden to opportunity.


Practical Implementation


Assessment for Life requires intentional design across all three dimensions:

For Maintenance CPD: Create a routine that makes staying current as effortless as possible. Schedule recurring training well in advance. Establish routines for professional reading that integrate naturally with your existing schedules. (I would like to come back to this point at a later date to consider Paul J. Silvia's work.)

For Developmental CPD: Identify specific areas where you want to grow beyond your current competence. Set challenging but achievable goals with concrete timelines. Aim (an important term in the Petersonian lexicon) for opportunities that stretch your capabilities while providing adequate support for success. (I'm planning to write about aiming later this year.)

For Attitudinal Development: Regular self-reflection on your relationship with learning and growth. Practice intellectual humility by actively seeking feedback and correction. Cultivate curiosity about areas where your knowledge is incomplete. (I want to think further about this development using the Explore and Exploit framework).

The Compound Effect


Peterson frequently discusses the compound nature of small, consistent actions over time. If you're familiar with movement snacks from physical exercise, you'll recognize the same principle at play here). Assessment for Life exemplifies this principle perfectly. Daily reading, weekly reflection, monthly skill-building, and annual major development initiatives create a compound effect that dramatically exceeds the sum of individual efforts. Assessment for Life is then a way to do better than just doing your best. The professional who commits to Assessment for Life doesn't just maintain competence – they build an expanding foundation of knowledge, skill, and wisdom that creates increasing returns over time. (I plan on coming back to this point by considering the work of Pat Flynn.)


Conclusion


Assessment for Life represents more than professional development – it's a commitment to remaining worthy of the responsibilities we carry. It acknowledges that competence isn't a destination but a dynamic state requiring constant attention and investment. By embracing all three dimensions – maintenance, development, and attitude – we create a sustainable approach to professional growth that serves not just our own interests but also the broader communities that depend on our competence.

Perhaps most significantly, "Assessment for Life" carries within it a profound ambiguity that reveals its true power. The phrase means both assessment throughout your entire working life and assessment as the very means by which we achieve better living. Assessment for life; and assessment to live well. This linguistic duality depends entirely on where we place the stress – and it's rather fitting that "stress" is the very word we most associate with examinations and assessments. Yet this wordplay reveals something deeper: when we shift our stress from viewing assessment as burden to embracing it as opportunity, we transform not just our professional development but our entire relationship with growth and challenge. When we embrace assessment as a way of living rather than something we must do to make a living, we discover that Peterson's insight about voluntary challenge becomes lived reality. The goal isn't to reach a state where growth is no longer necessary. The goal is to become the kind of person who embraces the necessity of growth as an opportunity rather than a burden. In doing so, we transform our professional lives from mere careers into meaningful journeys of continuous becoming – assessment not just for life but for living fully.

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Sources, References, & Acknowledgements

Images
The two images are by Juliette Forga. Both feature in Peterson's book Beyond Order. I purchased these as a 'Beyond Order Digital Poster Bundle' from Teespring. Copyright remains with the owner.

Texts
Di Lampedusa, G. (....) The Leopard, Tr. ...., London, Vintage

Peterson, J.B. 
—(2019) 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos, London, Penguin 
—(2021) Beyond Order: 12 More Rules for Life, London, Allen Lane

Videos

I thought that rather than cite page numbers in Peterson's books, it might be useful to share some YouTube videos instead.

Humility: This video is a clip from one of Dr. Peterson's public lectures. Jordan Peterson - Why Humility in Life Is So Important, Tate Unruly Unapologetic Perspectives, YouTube, https://youtu.be/ffEhXiDoSt0?si=4czLCXpO4M2XHwFc, accessed 8th June 2025.


Stand Up Straight with Your Shoulders Back: This video is a clip from Peterson's lecture series at the How to Academy. Jordan Peterson Rule 1 Stand up straight with your shoulders back, Professor Jordan Peterson Clips, YouTube, https://youtu.be/lJQ5T0qnL6w?si=KJPGMzStfhU6Gotq, accessed 8th June 2025

Facing the Poison: This video is a clip from the Daily Wire. The Power of Voluntarily (sic) Exposure, Daily Elevation, YouTube, https://youtu.be/fhLJyWVUpHM?si=7RSljDw2r63QZE2F, accessed 8th June 2025.

Competence hierarchies: This video is a clip from one of Peterson's early lectures. Jordan Peterson | Hierarchy of Competence, Self Motivation, YouTube, https://youtu.be/8twotdRzy3w?si=uYL6IA1fWC-cjGZQ, accessed 8th June 2025.

Clean your room: This video is a clip from one of Peterson's classroom lectures. Clean Your Room - Powerful Life Advice, WordToTheWise, YouTube, https://youtu.be/Vp9599kwnhM?si=7nHJJRWQckpsxr1P, accessed 8th June 2025.

Podcast

The relationship between lifting a weight at a gym for physical development and voluntarily bearing the burden of professional development is explored in the work of Pat Flynn.

Mackay, B. & K. (18 December 2024) The Art of Manliness, Podcast #1,048: 'The Swiss Army Knife of Fitness — How to Get Lean, Strong, and Flexible With Kettlebells Alone', , https://www.artofmanliness.com/health-fitness/fitness/podcast-1048-the-swiss-army-knife-of-fitness-how-to-get-lean-strong-and-flexible-with-kettlebells-alone/, accessed 6th June 2025.

I used Claude Sonnet 4.0 to structure the argument. Claude also supplied the headings and made suggestions for the type of images.