The National Career Readiness Certificate

November 6, 2006First Annual Central Region WorkKeys Conference St. Louis, Missouri

Jon EricksonVice President, Educational Services, ACT

Workforce Challenges

• Employee skill gaps

• Outsourcing

• Baby boomer retirements

• Skilled worker shortage

T H E C H A L L E N G E

Kiplinger Letter

• Advanced training needed in most jobs

• 2 million scientists/engineers needed

• 2.4 million skilled manufacturers

T H E C H A L L E N G E

Economic Indicators

• Lack of skilled workers

• Boeing plant–Seattle

• Importing labor–obstacles

T H E C H A L L E N G E

Economic Indicators

• The exodus of baby boomers• 1950s – more people than jobs• 2010 – labor shortage of 10 million

people

T H E C H A L L E N G E

(Bureau of Labor Statistics)

ACT Research

• 12,000 jobs analyzed

• Foundational skills

A C T ’ S D A T A

• Reading for Information – 13 percent score at or below minimum levels

• Applied Mathematics – 25 percent score at or below minimum levels

• Locating Information – 32 percent score at or below minimum levels

A C T ’ S D A T A

ACT Research

Ready for College, Ready for Work

Findings:

The same basic skills are needed for work and college

A C T ’ S D A T A

Preparing the Workforce

2005 Skills Gap Report:84 percent of managers think secondary schools don’t prepare students for work

Skills Gap

1959

T H E S O L U T I O N

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T H E S O L U T I O N

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Components:• Certificates• Job and

Talent Bank• Skill Training

T H E S O L U T I O N

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T H E S O L U T I O N

Who it helps:• Job Seekers

• Employers

• Educators

• Economic Developers

• Workforce Developers

T H E S O L U T I O N

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T H E S O L U T I O N

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Reading for Information• Required for tasks: Identifying main ideas,

defining uncommon words

• Required for jobs: Electricians, HR specialists, nursing coordinators, database administrators, postsecondary education administrators

T H E S O L U T I O N

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Applied Mathematics• Required for tasks: solving single-operation

math problems, using whole numbers, converting systems of measurement

• Required for jobs: building inspectors, computer software engineers, laboratory assistants, engineering technicians, heating/cooling inspectors

T H E S O L U T I O N

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Locating Information• The fourth “R”

• Required for tasks: finding info in a graphic, drawing conclusions from graphics

• Required for jobs: editors, materials scientists, registrars, respiratory therapists, technical writers

T H E S O L U T I O N

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States Affiliated with States Affiliated with the National Career the National Career Readiness CertificateReadiness Certificate

T H E S O L U T I O N

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• Meaningful to employers, residents, and educators

• Based on objective, standardized results

• Easily tied to education, curricula• National portability• ACT’s pedigree

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State Adoptions

Indiana

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Business Adoptions

T H E S O L U T I O N

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Helping Individuals

T H E S O L U T I O N

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Helping Individuals

T H E S O L U T I O N

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T H E S O L U T I O N

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• Developed by ACT• Used by thousands

of companies• Determines foundational skills

David HerralaLearning Leader Dow Chemical, Michigan

T H E S O L U T I O N

T H E S O L U T I O N

• Developed by ACT, Inc. • Used by thousands

of companies• Determines foundational skills

“the last thing you want is a low-skilled employee working with chemicals all day.”

International Uses:• English WorkKeys available in

Spanish, French, Italian, Chinese• Major clients:

Microsoft, Eurocar

T H E S O L U T I O N

Components• Determining Skill Requirements• Skill Assessment• Training

T H E S O L U T I O N

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Our Partners

T H E S O L U T I O N

Foundational Skill Assessments• Applied Mathematics• Applied Technology• Business Writing• Listening• Locating Information• Observation• Reading for Information• Teamwork• Writing

T H E S O L U T I O N

In Secondary Education• Preparing students for the

working world• Kent Intermediate School District

Grand Rapids, Michigan

T H E S O L U T I O N

In Postsecondary Education

• Preparing students for specific careers

• South Suburban College South Holland, Illinois

T H E S O L U T I O N

T H E S O L U T I O N

In Business• An employee selection tool

• Subaru of Indiana Automotive

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In Economic Development

T H E S O L U T I O N

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T H E S O L U T I O N

Grand Junction, Colorado

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Personal Skills

T H E S O L U T I O N

• Performance

• Talent

• Fit

T H E S O L U T I O N

Personal Skills

Personal Skills

T H E S O L U T I O N

What we can do:

Working Together

T H E S O L U T I O N

What we can do:

Embracing a Common Readiness Measure

T H E S O L U T I O N

The Times, They Are A’Changin’

www.act.org