ACT WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC)

Validate Foundational Skills for Workforce Preparedness 

Help individuals earn, verify, certify, and share the essential foundational skills for workplace success with the ACT® WorkKeys® National Career Readiness Certificate™ (NCRC®)—a portable, evidence-based credential earned by completing and ranking scores in the Applied Math, Graphic Literacy, and Workplace Documents Assessments.

The WorkKeys NCRC is issued at four levels; Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze.

The WorkKeys NCRC® measures and certifies the essential work skills needed for success in jobs across industries and occupations. With the WorkKeys NCRC, individuals can: 

  • Build confidence that their skills meet the needs of employers 
  • Show prospective employers concrete proof of their skills  
  • Apply real-world use to coursework from the classroom 
  • Determine skill improvement and training needs 
  • Improve the opportunities for career changes and advancement 
  • Earn college credit at many institutions and reach academic goals more quickly 

Available in Spanish
Examinees that complete the Spanish-language versions of the assessments are eligible for the WorkKeys NCRC en Español.

Key Things About the NCRC Credential

  • On the front of the certificate you will see the level earned and a 9-digit registration number. If the individual has made their certificate publicly available, employers can verify the certificate by entering the registration number.
  • On the back of the certificate are WorkKeys Assessment scores earned and the skills verified for each of the assessments completed. Since the levels build upon each other, the full list of skills is verified at each level.
  • The WorkKeys NCRC is backed by ACT and validated by ACT research.

Earners Can Showcase Their Accomplishment

After earning the WorkKeys NCRC, individuals can easily set up an online account at myworkkeys.com that enables employers to verify their credentials quickly and conveniently. They’ll also want to showcase their accomplishment by accepting their digital badge from Credly and including it on transcripts, resumes, social media, job boards, and more.

Platinum NCRC

Platinum WorkKeys NCRC earners have scored a minimum level score of 6 on the ACT WorkKeys Applied Math, Graphic Literacy, and Workplace Documents Assessments.  

Gold NCRC

Gold WorkKeys NCRC earners have scored a minimum level score of 5 on the ACT WorkKeys Applied Math, Graphic Literacy, and Workplace Documents Assessments.  

Silver NCRC

Silver WorkKeys NCRC earners have scored a minimum level score of 4 on the ACT WorkKeys Applied Math, Graphic Literacy, and Workplace Documents Assessments.  

Bronze NCRC

Bronze WorkKeys NCRC earners have scored a minimum level score of 3 on the ACT WorkKeys Applied Math, Graphic Literacy, and Workplace Documents Assessments.  

You've Earned Your NCRC - Now Claim Your Digital Badge

Earners will receive an email notification from Credly (admin@credly.com) with instructions for claiming their badge and setting up their account. Accept your Digital NCRC Badge then celebrate your accomplishment by sharing and posting to your social media channels.

 

The WorkKeys NCRC Demonstrates College Competence

In addition, the American Council on Education (ACE) recommends that colleges and universities award up to six semester hours of college credit to an individual who earns the WorkKeys NCRC at the Silver, Gold, or Platinum level. Credit awards are at the discretion of each school. 

5 Million NCRCs Earned...and Counting

Businesses and organizations use and accept the WorkKeys NCRC to close skills gaps and align their development efforts. The greater the awareness of these credentials, the greater the value to everyone in the workforce ecosystem.

Ready to Enroll in WorkKeys?

Put ACT WorkKeys to work for you and start your enrollment today! Have questions? Talk to an ACT representative to get started.

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