The ACT® National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) is a work-related skills credential that demonstrates and a level of workplace employability skills in Applied Mathematics, Locating Information, and Reading for Information. Based on the WorkKeys assessment, the NCRC measures “real world” skills that employers believe are critical to job success. This assessment measure a range of essential cognitive work skills and aptitudes, including problem solving, critical thinking, applying information from workplace documents, using mathematical reasoning to address work-related problems, and analyzing graphics.
While diplomas and standardized tests can demonstrate a person’s academic ability, the NCRC provides employers insight on work readiness skills and certifies on 4 levels: Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum. A certification at any level validates students’ work-readiness skills. The higher the certification level, the more jobs the certificate holder’s skills align with.
- Bronze – has the necessary foundational skills for 16% of jobs
- Silver – has the necessary foundational skills for 67% of jobs
- Gold – has the necessary foundational skills for 93% of jobs
- Platinum – has the necessary foundational skills for 99% of jobs
If a person does not achieve a certificate upon completion of the test or wants to work toward a higher level of certification, curriculum and assistance is available to improve basic job skills and subsequent scores.
NCRC certification is a way to show potential employers both a level of job readiness and an individual’s motivation to assess skills and aptitudes.
This certification is increasingly recognized by employers across the U.S. In Atchison County, three major employers (Atchison County, Community Hospital-Fairfax, and Midwest Data Center) are now recognizing this certificate as part of the hiring process.
This spring, AC high schools offered the WorkKeys test to Juniors (and Seniors, in one instance), administered at each school by Kim Milward of the Missouri Job Center in Maryville. Of those who took the test, 25 earned Bronze, 9 earned Silver, and above are the 6 who achieved GOLD, the highest level of certification of those tested: Tacy Mitchell (F), Ben Lucas (RP), Gyliane Henning-Green (RP), Catelyn Prater (T), James Driskell (T), and Megan Lee (T).
For more information on WorkKeys, NCRC Certification, or general employment assistance, call our local Missouri Job Center in Maryville at 660-582-8980, visit Missouri’s online job portal at https://jobs.mo.gov/, or contact ACDC at atchdev@rpt.coop or 660-744-6562.
