WorkKeys

 
 

 

BENEFITS:  ACT® WorkKeys® assessments are the cornerstone of the ACT workforce solutions. The assessments help you measure the workplace skills that can affect your job performance. WorkKeys assessments are:

  • Unique—Unlike other assessments, they don’t simply give an indication of reading and writing competency. Instead, they measure a range of hard and soft skills relevant to any occupation, at any level, and across industries.
  • Recognized—Successful completion of WorkKeys assessments can lead to earning an National Career Readiness Certificate® (NCRC®)—a credential that verifies foundational workplace skills. Tens of thousands of employers recognize the value of the NCRC, and many recommend the credential to candidates.

NATIONAL CAREER READINESS CERTIFICATE:  To earn the National Career Readiness Certificate® (NCRC®), you must successfully complete the WorkKeys assessments in Applied Math, Graphic Literacy, and Workplace Documents. WorkKeys offers additional assessments to measure interests, values and behaviors that can lead to greater job satisfaction. To earn this credential students must score level 3 or higher.

WHO WILL TEST?  The state requires all seniors who are a CTE Concentrators to take this assessment. A CTE Concentrator is a student who has completed four or more technical credits within a cluster area, with at least one being a completer course. The student may earn all four credits from “foundation” courses or three from “foundation” and one “enhancement” course. 

 

 

Why take ACT WorkKeys

Why will your Student’s School Administer the WorkKeys Test?
 
The WorkKeys system from ACT is being used in high schools across your state and throughout the country to help students understand how they can improve their skills for better-paying jobs. WorkKeys scores help employers take the guesswork out of determining whether individuals are qualified for positions in their organizations.
 
WorkKeys Tests—For High School Students
 
The WorkKeys system measures skills such as reading, math, listening, locating information, and teamwork. These are skills that employers feel are critical to job success. WorkKeys test results help students understand how they can improve their skills for better-paying jobs. Students who take the WorkKeys tests have a clear way to demonstrate their abilities to future employers.
 
The North Carolina Career Readiness Certificate
 
The North Carolina Career Readiness Certificate is aligned with ACT’s National Career Readiness Certificate. These certificates are portable, evidence based credentials that certify skills needed for workplace success.
 
Why are WorkKeys tests important to high school students?
 
WorkKeys test scores provide important information no matter what type of career a student plans to pursue after high school. Large numbers of students are entering the workforce without adequate skills to qualify them for the jobs they want. By increasing their skill levels while they are still in school, students increase their opportunities for higher salaries in the future. Because WorkKeys tests measure skills valued by employers, students can use their results to get a better picture of their chances for success in the workforce and to improve areas where their skills are weak.
 
Why should you and your student care about the WorkKeys tests?
 
All students enter the workforce eventually—whether they get a job right out of high school, work part-time while continuing their education, or go to college first.  The WorkKeys system stresses skills development important for every type of employment. WorkKeys job analyses are conducted for a wide range of jobs across the U.S. economy, from jobs that require short-term on-the-job training to those requiring a bachelor’s degree or higher.
 
For additional information visit:
 
Visit http://www.act.org/products/workforce-act-workkeys/ for additional information.