North Carolina


ACT WorkKeys NCRC Levels
- Platinum37,477
- Gold126,722
- Silver313,449
- Bronze159,062
Total636,710
Job Profiles Completed
979
Employers Supporting
4106
ACT WorkKeys NCRC Data:
01-01-2006 - 08-31-2023
Bronze
#cda874
4260 157 241 249 117 81
Silver
#cbccce
4292 178 263 216 127 117
Gold
#c9b973
2898 133 153 136 87 88
Platinum
#dadfe3
2025 84 116 85 53 41

68 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 communities with a framework to validate that they have a skilled workforce ready to fill current and future jobs. Communities 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 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.
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 community recognize or recommend the workplace credential.
North Carolina employers are recognizing the ACT WorkKeys NCRC in support of Work Ready Communities goals
- West Pharmaceutical Services-Kinston
Plant - American Red Cross
- Riverside Crysler-Jeep-dodge
- Town of Newport
- Town of Warsaw
- Annie Penn Hospital
- Greater Fayetteville Chamber
- Town of Wentworth
- Kooks Custom Headers & Exhaust
- Innovative Knits
- The Pisgah Conservancy
- Construction Systems Inc
- A Signco
- Laurel Hill Christian Daycare
- McCarter Electrical Company
- Manpower
- Elizabeth City Downtown Inc
- Swain County Schools
- Town of Fremont
- Bell's Small Engine Hardware and Paint
Center - Carswell Distributing Co
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Wayne County NC
- Novus Architects
- Party With US
- Lewis Brothers Specialty Advertising
Does your business support job applicants with an ACT WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate?
Certified Communities
- Jun, 2023 Rowan
- Jun, 2021 Henderson
- 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.