National Career Readiness Certificate and ACT WorkKeys to Provide New "Gateway" for Manufacturing Industry

March 4, 2009

The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) has announced a new Manufacturing Skills Certification System with the potential to help millions of U.S. workers succeed in high-quality, middle-class jobs.

The nation's largest industrial trade organization, NAM plans to "revolutionize education and training for the 21st century workforce," according to John Engler, President and CEO.

ACT will use its research data, expertise and reputation to assist NAM in this endeavor. ACT's National Career Readiness Certificate provides a systematic approach to certifying critical foundational skills. This Certificate serves as a widely accessible nationwide entry point and delivers a "shovel-ready" jumpstart to the NAM skills initiative. In fact, more than 40 percent of the 16,000 jobs in ACT's database are positions in the manufacturing sector.

The Manufacturing Institute, a nonprofit subsidiary of NAM, will establish and operate the new system, supported by several partners, including ACT.

Read the NAM press release.