Presentation by: Krista Heard, Kim Kolvig, and Laurie Fuglvog

 Employee credentialing program that tests and scores job skills  A partnership between DOLWD and EED  Serves 4 main stakeholders  ACR is sponsored by the State of Alaska so there is no cost for employers or jobseekers to participate in the program EEDDOLWD EducatorsEmployers StudentsJob Seekers

 Allow students and job seekers to evaluate “career readiness”  The credential gives job seekers a competitive edge- proving to employers that they have the right skills and right attitude for the job  Employers can take the guesswork out of hiring, using to hire, train, and retain the most qualified employees  Educators can help ensure students are ready for the workplace

 Strengthening the Workforce  Future and Existing  Help new and existing businesses meet their workforce needs  Identify gaps between student/jobseekers skills and employer needs  Bridge the gap  To connect education, employers, and job seekers

 Provide Educators & Employers ◦ A means to assess the student and job seekers current skills and methods to improve ◦ Increase the number of qualified applicants ◦ Place the right people in the right positions ◦ Give employers a competitive edge  Reducing turnover  Reduces employee training costs  Saves hiring time and money  Increasing productivity and profitability ◦ Hire the right person the first time

 Provide Students & Job Seekers ◦ Career Information- what foundational academic skills are required for various careers ◦ Assessment- to measure skill levels ◦ Instruction- Instruction to enhance skills ◦ Credential- opportunity to document skills by earning a National Career Readiness Certificate

 Developed by the ACT Corporation  Job skills measurement system  Measures “real-world” foundational skills critical to job success  Skills needed for any occupation-skilled or professional- and at any level of education

 Employers ask for employees who have “more math” or “better reading skills”  WorkKeys defines those skills using a common metric and common language Business Students & Job Seekers Education WorkKeys® and the National Career Readiness Certificate: the common language between business and education.

Workplace Observation 1 2 WorkKeys Foundational Workplace Skills And Assessment Levels in Blue

 Reading for Information (RI)  Applied Mathematics (AM)  Locating Information (LI)  Questions are contextualized and based on situations in the every day work world  “ We need employees with sharp reasoning skills and intellect”

blank  Measures reading comprehension and reasoning skills when using written text on the job including memos, letters, directions, signs, notices, bulletins, policies, and regulations.  From teaching to bartending to life-or- death situations reading form information is a necessary workplace skill

blank  Measures workplace mathematical reasoning and problem-solving skills from basic addition, subtraction, multiplication and division to multiple math functions like calculating percentage discounts and markups.  The exam problems are computations all of us encounter in every day life. Test takers are allowed calculators are given formula sheets with conversations. The test emphasizes the importance of problem solving skills.

blank  Measures comprehension and application of workplace graphics such as charts, graphs, tables, forms, flowcharts, diagrams, floor plans, maps and instrument gauges.  There is no way for an employee to immediately know the answer to every potential problem, but they have to know how to find it. That’s the prized skill that’s hard to discern in a job interview.

15 National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) Gold Silver Platinum Bronze Foundational skills for ~ 30% of the jobs in the WorkKeys database Foundational skills for ~ 65% of the jobs in the WorkKeys database Foundational skills for ~ 90% of the jobs in the WorkKeys database Foundational skills for ~ 100% of the jobs in the WorkKeys database  NCRC is awarded at four levels based on an individuals performance on the assessment

 RECOGNIZE the credential, starting today, as proof of job skills and initiative when attached to a resume or presented by a potential employee.  REQUEST the credential from job applicants, as you become more familiar with the program. Start including “National Career Readiness Certificate Preferred” in your job advertising and announcements. If job seekers don’t have the credential, refer them to a local Alaska Job Center office.  REQUIRE the credential when hiring or use it to evaluate employees for promotion, once you have profiled the job.

 All 11 th Graders – take all 3 assessments  Testing fees paid by EED  Internet or Paper/Pencil  EED will pay for one administration as an 11 th grader (REQUIRED) and one 12 th grader (OPTIONAL) Effective

 Students need to connect the dots between school and career  Career and College Ready  State Education Plan calls for all students to be ready for post-secondary training and career

The Department is bringing “awareness” of job profiling, National Career Readiness Certificates and the WorkKeys® system to employers through a variety of channels:  DOLWD Alaska Trends magazine, new employer info packets, newsletters, conferences, presentations, and mailings.  ACT certified Job Profiler on staff working with employers to profile occupations, training curriculums and jobs.  Outreach connected with the state’s labor exchange system, ALEXsys credentialing project will include a direct outreach to employers about the career readiness credential. The enhancements being made to ALEXsys will:  Allow employers to include a preference for a national career readiness certificate in their online job orders.  Allow job seekers to include their licenses and credential information, along with their skills and work history.  Job Center Business Connection staff work daily with employers on job orders and other services, including the value of candidates with career readiness certificates. 

 BP uses WorkKeys® for hiring Process Technicians  Operating Engineers requires Apprenticeship applicants to have a minimum level 4 on all 3 WorkKeys® assessments  State of Alaska Accounting Clerk job class was Profiled and Silver NCRC is now accepted as meeting minimum qualifications to apply  State of Alaska Office Assistant I was Profiled and a Bronze NCRC is now accepted as meeting minimum qualifications  Construction Academy participants statewide are using the NCRC as a pre-requisite for getting into the Academy  MASST (Mature Alaskans Seeking Skills Training) worker trainees in Job Centers are all working in CR 101 and getting their NCRC’s  NANA Management Services (NMS) uses WorkKeys® and NCRC  GCI has added a link on their careers introduction page to include the Alaska Career Ready client brochure. Some of their entry-level jobs include preference for the NCRC.

 ABC (Associated Builders and Contractors) added WorkKeys® Applied Mathematics Level 4 as an option to meet the math requirement.  AJEATT Inside Wireman Apprenticeship Program in Anchorage accepts WorkKeys® Applied Math Level 6 as an option to meet the math requirement. Applicants are encouraged to get their NCRC. Also, Students who need to improve their math skills can use CR 101 to prepare for a math class in their own computer lab.  Alaska Teamster-Employer Service Training Trust asks all applicants to obtain a score of 4 or better on the WorkKeys assessments to add to their application packet.  Blood Bank of Alaska soon will be asking Phlebotomist applicants to obtain a score of Reading for Information Level 4, Locating Information Level 4 and Applied Mathematics Level 3 as part of their application process.  Plumbers & Pipefitters in Anchorage – Applicants for the Apprenticeship program must take the WorkKeys assessments and score at; Reading for Information Level 4, Applied Mathematics Level 5, and Locating Information Level 4, prior to their application submission  IBEW - encourage applicants get their NCRC although it is not required

 WorkKeys® assessments, used to earn a National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC), are available in most Alaska Job Centers to job seekers who register to search for work in the Alaska Labor EXchange system (ALEXsys). The assessments are proctored in a scheduled workshop setting and capacity may be limited. Job seekers are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the Career Ready 101 pre-courseware before taking the assessments to ensure success. Please contact your local job center for further information and a listing of their scheduled workshops.contact your local job center

 Total number of NCRC’s for DOL – 1,520  Total number of NCRC’s for EED – 8,936  Total for Alaska as of April 2011: 10,456

 The WorkKeys ® job profiling component offers a concrete way for businesses to analyze the foundational workplace skills and levels needed for entry into and effective performance of jobs.WorkKeys  Profile results are used for WorkKeys assessments to determine if applicants are qualified for a job.  Provides dependable skill levels for a common language between students, job seekers, employers and educators for workforce development.  E.g.: Whether HS Diploma or GED or long time out of school, all have common WorkKeys Skill Level Score that they need for the job.

RI = Reading for Information Skill, AM = Applied Mathematics Skill, LI = Locating Info. Skill

 Supports hiring, promotion and training decisions: ◦ Analysis of a job, curriculum or occupation ◦ Pinpoint foundational workplace skill levels needed to accomplish critical tasks ◦ Find and keep the right workers with the right skills ◦ Reduce turnover ◦ Save on recruiting and training costs ◦ For jobs with many hr and clerical positions, a profile can result in reclassification of positions and some staff promotions.  Uses focus groups and an ACT trained Job Profiler  Proven methodology and reliable results

Step 1: Profiler develops Initial Task List Site Visit, Job Shadowing, Gather materials Step 2: Task Analysis with Focus Group Step 3: Skill Analysis with Focus Group Step 4: Final Report

Identify WorkKeys Skills Required for Job (Profiler i.d. during profile and with ER in advance) Using the WorkKeys System for Decision-Making Support Candidates Take assessment Job Incumbents take assessment End Process Certify Place Or assign to next stage of selection process Promote Select for Employment Set Standards Required skill level performance From the Job Profile Provide Learning Experience Train? CareerReady 101 or other Training Meet Skill Standards? Y N N Y

“ The WorkKeys profiling of the Office Assistant I job class enabled us to add another qualification route that we expect to increase our ability to hire competent, capable individuals, especially in the State’s most rural offices.” – Cindy Gouveia, State of Alaska, Division of Personnel and Labor Relations

“The WorkKeys Profile of the Direct Support Staff in Adult Day Services Occupation, provided a common language for our members. It pulled out common skill sets to support our training and career pathway decisions as we strive to decrease turnover in this high demand, entry- level occupation.” – Beverly Tallmann Associate Director, Center for Human Development University of Alaska Anchorage

“The WorkKeys Curriculum Profile results for our Inside Wireman Apprenticeship program allows applicants lacking math requirements to be offered a WorkKeys assessment as one of the methods to get there. We also suggest the Career Readiness Certificate as a great means to improve their application.” - Dave McAllen, Director Alaska Joint Electrical Apprenticeship Training Trust (AJEATT), Anchorage

Company Profiled Job, Curriculum, Occupation Reading for Information ENTRY Locating Information ENTRY Applied Math ENTRY Teamwork or Other Skill ENTRY AK DOLWD Employment Security Specialist I at AJCN 443 SOA Accounting Clerk 444 SOA Office Assistant I 333 AJEATT IBEW Year 1 Inside Wireman Apprentice 656 AADSA Direct Support Staff in Adult Day Services 44 n/a Math 3-BusW 4 – TW 4 – L 4 - OB JATC P&P Year 1 Plumbers and Pipefitters Apprentice 44 6 – FBX 5 – ANCH GCI Field Service Technician 443 BBAK Phlebotomist 443

 Employers can't afford not to do WorkKeys Job Profiling because Job Profiling is a bargain compared to the cost of a bad hire.  We offer the first job profile at no cost to the employer!  Employers place a high value on WorkKeys.  Job Profilers often hear that they’ve never hired employees as qualified as they have with WorkKeys. Case Studies from satisfied businesses:

 In Alaska 10,000+ students testing yearly ◦ 80% will earn certificates  Is there any reason not to acknowledge the certificate?  Stand up for a skilled workforce!  Our hope today is that employers take a second look at applicants with the NCRC and recognize that these workers give them the best chance.

Laurie Fuglvog - DOLWD WorkKeys® Profiler Employment Security Analyst Phone: (907) We are an equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. Kim Kolvig - DOLWD ACR Program Employment Security Analyst Phone: (907) Krista Heard – EED Program Assistant Phone: (907)