Background and Basics

The skills gap in the U.S. workforce is well-documented and has been highlighted in myriad ways since it came to light more than 20 years ago. Today the mismatch between the skills needed for most jobs and the skills possessed by our nation's workforce is having a significant impact across all industries on productivity, turnover, and the ability to compete.

To overcome such challenges, our country needs a workforce with the foundational skills to be successful and a common language and measurement system with which employers, educators, workforce development, and economic development can communicate. Throughout the nation, ACT's WorkKeys system is providing this common language and assessing these foundational skills. The career readiness certificate programs advocated by the National CRC Advocates are those that are based on the WorkKeys system. These programs are creating a national movement that is spreading rapidly across the country.

The National Career Readiness Certificate and Related Programs

Based on the WorkKeys system by ACT, Inc., the National Career Readiness Certificate verifies to employers that an individual has essential core employability skills they need to be successful on most jobs existing in the country today. The research behind determining these foundational skills engaged employers throughout the U.S. and has included detailed examination of more than 16,000 jobs.

In order to earn a certificate, an individual must score appropriately on three WorkKeys assessments - Reading for Information, Applied Mathematics, and Locating Information.

Why the National CRC Advocates?

Simply stated, we have the experience to help you build employer support, efficiently build a certified career ready workforce, use data as an economic development tool, and align all stakeholders in your state with your Certificate program.