North Carolina
ACT WorkKeys NCRC Levels
- Platinum23,103
- Gold105,585
- Silver283,013
- Bronze131,434
Total543,135
Job Profiles Completed 976
Employers Supporting
3978
Engaged July 2013
ACT WorkKeys NCRC Data:
01-01-2006 - 04-30-2021
Bronze
#cda874
1398 1773 262 172 568 3622
Silver
#cbccce
1624 1979 318 244 812 4251
Gold
#c9b973
1050 1137 229 140 483 2882
Platinum
#dadfe3
727 704 111 98 340 2028
67 of 100 counties participating
About North Carolina Work Ready Communities
One of North Carolina’s greatest strengths is our educated and engaged workforce. But in today’s competitive global marketplace, where North Carolina competes for top talent with economies around the world, we must do more to strengthen our workforce and fill the talent pipeline. Workforce development has been a priority in North Carolina for many years. A talent pipeline with the necessary foundational and technical skills for success is a primary goal for education, business and workforce professionals.
The NC Work Ready Communities initiative is a partnership between the NC Work Ready Certified Communities State team and the ACT Work Ready Communities team to support economic development throughout the state by providing counties with a framework to validate that they have a skilled workforce ready to fill current and future jobs. Counties applying for certification form collaborative partnerships with local chambers of commerce, local workforce development boards, public schools, community colleges and business leaders. Together they create the framework for achieving certification goals, including increasing high school graduation rates, the number of ACT National Career Readiness Certificates™ (ACT NCRC®) and employer engagement.
The NC Work Ready Communities state team consists of members from the NC Chamber Foundation, the NC Community Colleges System Office, the NC Department of Public Instruction (CTE Division), the NC Department of Commerce (Division of Workforce Solutions), regional economic development professionals, and local community college leaders. The NC Department of Public Instruction (CTE Division) serves at the final certifying body to designate a county as a Certified Work Ready Community.
High school seniors in public schools who have a CTE concentration (four technical credits in a Career Cluster) take the ACT WorkKeys® assessments needed to earn an ACT NCRC®.
Benefits of the program for business include competitive cost models through lower employee turnover, decreased training time and costs, and related efficiencies that enhance North Carolina's global competitiveness. Increasing support of the ACT NCRC is a key strategy; the goal is to have eight of the 10 largest employers in each participating county recognize or recommend the workplace credential.
For more information on NC Work Ready Communities or to begin an application, please download the application packet.
North Carolina employers are recognizing the ACT WorkKeys NCRC in support of Work Ready Communities goals
- Champion Credit Union
- Topsail Montessori
- Cape Fear Solar Systems
- Premier Staffing Solutions Inc.
- Macon's Lawn & Order LLC
- Island CultureZ
- Nature's Joy & Wellness Center
- Hardee's
- Ohio Electric Motors Inc
- Champion Comfort Experts
- ABM Industries NEG Plant Shelby NC
- MOUNTAIN CREDIT UNION
- Demmel Inc
- Alphatech Inc.
- GF Linamar LLC
- Town of Laurel Park
- Spring Arbor of Wilmington
- AutoXcel
- Southern Sign Company
- Southern Metals Recycling Inc
- The Felix Cafe
- Norafin Americas
- City Air Experts
- Maroon Logistics Group
- Henderson County
Does your business support job applicants with an ACT WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate?
Most Improved Counties
- 99% Rowan
- 96% Cabarrus
- 95% Forsyth
- 93% Wake
- 92% Pasquotank
Certified Counties
- Sep, 2020 Catawba
- Sep, 2020 Columbus
- Dec, 2019 Tyrrell
- Aug, 2019 Gates
- May, 2019 Hyde
- Dec, 2018 Washington
- Dec, 2018 Watauga
- Nov, 2018 Martin
- Oct, 2018 Nash
- Aug, 2018 Rockingham
- May, 2018 Edgecombe
- May, 2018 Cumberland
- Apr, 2018 Bladen
- Apr, 2018 Perquimans
- Mar, 2018 Harnett
- Feb, 2018 Guilford
- Feb, 2018 Carteret
- Sep, 2017 Hoke
- Sep, 2017 Johnston
- Aug, 2017 Pitt
- Apr, 2017 Northampton
- Apr, 2017 Beaufort
- Apr, 2017 Scotland
- Apr, 2017 Transylvania
- Apr, 2017 Davie
- Dec, 2016 Iredell
- Dec, 2016 Lee
- Dec, 2016 Wilkes
- Sep, 2016 Alexander
- Sep, 2016 Halifax
- Sep, 2016 Hertford
- Sep, 2016 Caldwell
- Sep, 2016 Richmond
- Sep, 2016 Lincoln
- Apr, 2016 Onslow
- Apr, 2016 Chowan
- Apr, 2016 Duplin
- Dec, 2015 Rutherford
- Dec, 2015 Cleveland
- Dec, 2015 McDowell
- Aug, 2015 Greene
- Aug, 2015 Pamlico
- Aug, 2015 Jones
- Aug, 2015 Craven
- Aug, 2015 Gaston
- Apr, 2015 Lenoir
- Apr, 2015 Wayne
About ACT
Founded in 1959, ACT is a not-for-profit organization headquartered in Iowa City, Iowa, and dedicated to helping people achieve education and workplace success. ACT provides a broad array of assessment, research, information and program management solutions in the areas of education and workforce development.
