We obviously need excellent communication skills. You employees are naturally concerned about work-study findings as they could have serious implications on jobs. We need your cooperation. Clearly we need strong analytical skills and, since much of the work involves quantitative data, we must be good at maths and statistics. Also IT skills because the data is computer analysed.
Some employers expect a degree in business studies, economics, computing or engineering.
But work-study officers are often on their second career, with previous experience in commerce or industry. The institute of management services offers courses for those who are already mid-career and qualified through work experience, and who wish to apply this kind of management technique to their own sort of work. It also offers certificates for new entrants into commerce, industry or public services with a couple of years' experience who will practise under supervision. It's perfectly possible. You would usually be taken on and put in a company's graduate management training programme.