The Northern Ireland Judicial Appointments Commission (NIJAC) will shortly be moving its’ testing to an online platform to pilot digital testing. The purpose of the pilot is to explore the utility of using online platforms for testing and assessment and also as a mitigation measure in response to Covid-19.
The new system uses a web-based platform to provide the assessment test and a third-party proctoring (invigilation) system which uses artificial intelligence to monitor the activities of test takers (in this instance - applicants to judicial office).
NIJAC is conscious of the need to prepare its applicant pools for the launch of this new testing approach and has decided that it wishes to combine the need to trial the platform before its ‘live’ use with the benefits of allowing potential applicants to experience it before engaging in a live scheme.
Therefore, in order to maximise the benefits for all involved NIJAC intends to create a trial assessment which will minimise the impact on those volunteering but maximise the benefits for potential future applicants and NIJAC.
To that end we now seek those who are interested in taking part in the trial (which it is expected will require 15-20 minutes of your time) to register their interest by contacting judicialappointments@nijac.gov.uk.
Identities of participants in the trial will remain private.
We expect that interest in this opportunity may be high and as there is a cost associated with the proctoring element of the test we may limit the numbers of those who are asked to trial both platforms. However we hope that all those interested will be provided with invitations to the web-based assessment platform as a minimum.
Further information regarding the systems involved, instructions regarding their use and details of the timing will be released by NIJAC to all those expressing an interest in taking part in the trial. At present it is expected that the trial will take place over 2-3 days during the first week of November 2021.