English WorkKeys Expands to France and Italy

English WorkKeys is an ACT system designed to assess English language proficiency in the workplace. ACT Business Solutions, based in Madrid, serves many clients in Spain, including the software giant Microsoft, the car rental company Europcar, and the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca. ACT Business Solutions will oversee the rollout of English WorkKeys to France and Italy.

English is the international business language, and European companies put much of their employee training budget into English language training. English WorkKeys helps such companies by measuring employee proficiency in four language-related skills: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. The system uses a job profiling method called Key Skill Analysis to determine English language skills needed in jobs, assessments to determine employee skill levels, and training to boost those levels. The exams are administered via computer and telephone.

“There are a lot of companies in Europe spending quite a bit on English language training, and they’re not satisfied with the results,” said Paris del’Etraz, executive administrator for ACT Business Solutions. “They need a third party to evaluate the effectiveness of training and employee progress. That’s where English WorkKeys comes in.”

Test instructions, tutorials, marketing materials, and other information are being translated to adapt English WorkKeys for France and Italy. Following pilot testing, the product will launch in early 2006.

“With English WorkKeys expanding throughout Europe, ACT is bringing its testing expertise to whole new markets,” said Tom Saterfiel, ACT’s vice president of corporate development. “We’ve seen a lot of success with companies in Spain and are looking to duplicate that success elsewhere in the world.”