News

The Arkansas Department of Higher Education and the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education issued a statewide recommendation on awarding college credit for the WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate. The guidance suggests options for Technical Math or Technical Writing.

Students taking a new course at Southern Union State Community College can earn five certifications in six weeks, as showcased by the Times-News. Along with the WorkKeys NCRC, students earn certicates in OSHA, Forklift Driving, CPR, Financial Literacy, and Computer Literacy.

Career Pathways are a special blend of training and job progression. When the training includes post-secondary learning, the WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate from ACT can translate to college credit that jumpstarts the learning journey. Awarding credit through Prior Learning Assessment, or PLA, for short, boosts confidence and increases the pace to program completion. Colleges increase enrollment while helping build the regional talent pipeline. 

The American Council of Education recently upgraded their recommendations on credit hours awarded for the NCRC. Join us on Episode 37 as we explore the benefits of PLA; make connections between WorkKeys levels and post-secondary performance; and examine how administrators and faculty can use WorkKeys Estimator to align their competencies to specific WorkKeys benchmarks.

Referenced in the Work Ready Communities Boot Camp

The U.S. Department of Labor commissioned the Council on Competitiveness to produce an asset mapping roadmap that goes in depth with tips applicable to mapping your ecosystem. 

The Charlotte Gazette newspaper reminded readers of the Work Ready Communities designation for Charlotte County, Virginia. The feature showcased benefits of the WRC and the progress in earning and maintaining the designation. Regional workforce director, Terra Napier, and County Administrator, Daniel Witt, provided background and praise for the initiative.

Mark Twain High School and the Ralls County Board of Education celebrated nine high
school seniors who have excelled on their ACT WorkKeys® tests and earned Platinum
National Career Readiness Certificates.  Guidance Counselor, Mrs. Adria Palmer assisted students to help make sure they are Career and Work Ready. Out of a Senior Class of 57 testers, 92% earned certificates. 

Site Selection Magazine's annual review of employment climate of states with seven regions of the U.S. is out for 2023. The ACT WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate is one of five metrics utlized by the publisher. 

“The program can be life-changing for students by offering them the opportunity to make a living wage and provide for their families,” said Aurora Bihler, BUD program coordinator and member of Iron Workers Local 396. “It’s an introduction to the building trades that offers the skills you should have before you go into a construction career like OSHA 10 and CPR/first aid, and it’s also a hands-on program at the apprenticeship schools to see what kind of work you enjoy and what would be a good fit.”

Applicants must be 18 or older, eligible to work in the United States, have WorkKeys exam results and meet Military Selective Service Requirements, if born male. Preferred credentials are a Level 5 score on WorkKeys Applied Math and WorkKeys Workplace Documents, a negative drug test and a high school diploma or equivalent.

The mission of the St. Louis BUD program is to build a more inclusive workforce by increasing construction trade participation among traditionally under-represented groups, including minorities and women. It provides pre-apprentices with the opportunity to visit local building trades unions to give them hands-on basic training and a feel for each of the trades.

Southern Union Adult Education's Valley Campus offers a free class empowering students to earn up to eight professional certifications. The five-weeek class runs 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays. Certificates in addition to the WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate include OSHA, three different Northstart Digital Literacy certificates, financial literacy, and CPR.