ACT Expands Workforce Development Solutions

Certificate Provides Enhanced Information about Job Applicants

An enhanced ACT credential offers a convenient way to verify an individual’s cognitive skills and work-related behaviors.

The National Career Readiness Certificate Plus (NCRC Plus) is a new form of the National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC™). It combines measures of cognitive skills with measures of soft skills to bring even greater accuracy to predictions about an individual’s success at work or in training.

To earn a bronze, silver, gold, or platinum NCRC, an individual takes three WorkKeys^® assessments: Applied Mathematics, Reading for Information, and Locating Information. To earn an NCRC Plus, an individual must also take the WorkKeys Talent assessment, earn at least a 3 on all three cognitive skills tests, and rank in the second quartile (26–50 percent) or higher on at least one of the four Talent indices. Individuals do not need to take the Talent assessment to earn the NCRC.

The four certificate levels are associated with scores achieved on the cognitive assessments, which measure these skills:

• Problem solving
• Critical thinking
• Reading and using written, work-related text
• Applying information from workplace documents to solve problems
• Applying mathematical reasoning to work-related problems
• Setting up and performing work-related mathematical calculations
• Locating, synthesizing, and applying information that is presented graphically
• Comparing, summarizing, and analyzing information presented in multiple, related graphics

The WorkKeys Talent assessment measures personality attributes that are combined into four work-related indices:

• Work Discipline—measures productivity and dependability
• Teamwork—measures tolerance, communication, and attitude
• Customer Service Orientation—measures interpersonal skills and perseverance
• Managerial Potential—measures persuasion, enthusiasm, and problem solving

ACT research shows that high Work Discipline ratings are associated with high levels of performance in virtually any job. The connection between particular ratings in the other indices and job performance is more dependent on responsibilities assigned to a specific job.

ACT’s new National Career Readiness Certificate Plus (left) features a section at the bottom right-hand corner of the front that lists the Talent assessment indices and the corresponding stars that an examinee earned on the test. The back of the certificate provides more information about the Talent indices and what the stars mean. ACT’s National Career Readiness Certificate (right) has been slightly redesigned to differentiate it from the NCRC Plus certificate.

The results for each of these four indices are presented as percentile scores. The percentiles are summarized in four quartiles, each of which is depicted by a star on the Certificate:

• 76 to 100 percent = four stars
• 51 to 75 percent = three stars
• 26 to 50 percent = two stars
• 0 to 25 percent = one star

Examinees must earn two or more stars on at least one of the indices to qualify for the NCRC Plus. Those who do not achieve this standard receive the NCRC if they have achieved scores of at least Level 3 on all three cognitive skills assessments. Ratings are printed on the front of the certificate, and their meanings are described on the reverse side.

RegiSTAR™, ACT’s Web-based system for certificate reporting and management, reports results achieved by the NCRC Plus. The system identifies eligible WorkKeys scores, registers certificates in the ACT database, and creates an online account for each individual who earns a credential.

A unique number is printed on every registered credential, enabling employers to verify an individual’s certificate status. Those who earn the NCRC or NCRC Plus can use RegiSTAR accounts to access and share their certificates. Organizations that subscribe to RegiSTAR now have the option of downloading an individual’s electronic credentials from ACT and using a local printing facility to produce paper versions.

Companies widely use personality tests to recruit and develop employees. Employers and workers alike have long requested a systematic method for understanding work-related soft skills, said Martin Scaglione, president, ACT Workforce Development Division.

“Many employers consider soft skills to be just as important as cognitive skills in identifying workers who will be successful on the job. The NCRC Plus helps simplify this process,” said Scaglione. “Job seekers commonly desire a way to stand out from those competing for the same positions, and the NCRC Plus helps them present their qualifications in a new way.”

The enhanced certificate provides employers with more insight into a job applicant’s prospects for success. For example, the Customer Service Orientation rating can project the level of training a qualified applicant needs to become highly productive in a customer service role.

“The cognitive skills associated with the NCRC provide the strongest prediction of job performance. This prediction of success is enhanced by the NCRC Plus,” said Scaglione. “Adding a soft skills component provides another perspective on an applicant’s qualifications.”