CERTIFICATE OVERVIEW

The National Career Readiness Certificate verifies to employers anywhere in the United States that an individual has essential core employability skills in Reading, Math, and Locating Information. ACT has researched over 16,000 occupations, and these three skills are highly important to the majority of jobs in the workplace. The Certificate is an easily understood and nationally valued credential that certifies the attainment of these workplace skills.

When employers ask for the National Career Readiness Certificate for jobs in their workplace, they tap into the most qualified labor pool available. Applicants with a National Career Readiness Certificate provide solid insight into their foundational skills in the core areas of Reading for Information, Applied Mathematics, and Locating Information

HOW IT WORKS

The Certificate is based on ACT's world-renowned WorkKeys® assessments-which remain the only proven system for linking job skills with workplace success. To earn The Certificate you must take three WorkKeys assessments-Math, Reading, and Locating Information. Your WorkKeys scores will determine what level of The Certificate you are eligible to earn

• Bronze - scores at least a level 3 in each of the three core areas and has the necessary foundational skills for 35 percent of the jobs in the WorkKeys database.

• Silver - scores at least a level 4 in each of the three core areas and has the necessary foundational skills for 65 percent of the jobs in the WorkKeys database.

• Gold - scores at least a level 5 in each of the three core areas and has the necessary foundational skills for 90 percent of the jobs in the WorkKeys database.

BENEFITS OF THE NATIONAL CAREER READINESS CERTIFICATE

The Certificate is an easily understood, conveniently attained, and universally valued workforce credential. Because The Certificate validates that an individual has certain essential skills important across a range of jobs-employers, career seekers, economic developers, and educators can use The Certificate as a common language to improve the quality of the workforce. The skill levels are meaningful to career seekers, educators, and employers.

WHY DO INDIVIDUALS NEED A CAREER READINESS CERTIFICATE?

The certificate is designed to complement other traditional credentials, such as a high school diploma, community college degree, or college degree. While these education credentials mark the fulfillment of an individual's classroom learning experiences, the certificate confirms the person's competence in a specific set of workplace skills.

Of the 1,402 Berrien County students tested in 2009, 95% of them received a National Career Readiness Certificate.