National Career Readiness Certificate/WorkKeys® FAQs
F.A.Qs for Employers
Employers have expressed great concern about the skills gap that exists between those skills required on the job and those exhibited by potential and incumbent workers. Based on resumes and applications alone, employers experience difficulty in hiring people who have basic employability skills and who are therefore trainable for specific jobs. The National Career Readiness Certificate is a portable skills credential, ensuring employers of a job seeker’s skills.
WorkKeys has become a widely accepted common language for skills definition among employers, educators/trainers, and potential/incumbent employees. The power of the WorkKeys system lies in its: 1) objectivity, 2) simplicity, 3) compliance with federal law (ADA, EEOC), and 4) legal defensibility.
WorkKeys can supplement a high school diploma, a GED, post-secondary credential, and/or a college degree by demonstrating to an employer an individual’s foundational skills.
Across nine assessments, WorkKeys skill levels are described in terms of single digit numbers whose meanings are clearly defined and readily accessible. There are three components to the WorkKeys system:
1. Job profiling which identifies the basic employability skills required on the job
2. Assessment of skill levels of potential or incumbent workers
3. Training to close any skills gap that exists between the skills required and those demonstrated.
This latter component is efficient and cost effective because training is done ONLY in the specific skills areas where it is required.
A tiered model for a portable credential allows for a progression of development, therefore we have created a four-tiered (bronze, silver, gold and platinum) National Career Readiness Certificate based on the four assessments listed above.
ACT has profiled thousands of individual jobs across the country to determine the skills and skill levels needed to succeed in them. According to ACT findings, 85% of jobs highly rely on the following three skills:
Reading for Information—comprehending work-related reading materials, from memos and bulletins to policy manuals and governmental regulations.
Applied Mathematics—applying mathematical reasoning to work-related problems.
Locating Information—using information from such materials as diagrams, floor plans, tables, forms, graphs, and charts.
The Certificate is a portable credential that shows employers anywhere in the United States that career seekers have attained a certain level of workplace employability skills in Reading for Information, Applied Mathematics, and Locating Information.
F.A.Qs for Students
Compare your WorkKeys scores with the WorkKeys scores needed for different careers to find out which jobs you qualify for today. Some colleges require WorkKeys scores before they’ll admit you or put you into a specific academic program. Also, some employers require the WorkKeys scores before they’ll even consider you for a position. For other jobs, high WorkKeys scores can help you stand out. Using WorkKeys scores to prove you have the skills employers want can move you to the top of the list.
Your score is determined by the number of questions you answer correctly. There is no penalty for guessing. The skill level descriptions describe the skills that you have achieved and can apply on the job or in training.
Not doing well doesn’t mean failure—it means you need to improve a particular skill. Staff at the PA CareerLink® can help you develop a plan to help you improve your skills. The resources at the PA CareerLink® can help you prepare for WorkKeys so you can do your best.
Thousands of companies are already accepting the Certificate from statewide or regional WorkKeys-powered certificate programs.
The Certificate can be verified by employers for up to five years from the test date.