The Qualified Job Applicant, Redefined - Forbes Magazine

In Albuquerque, New Options provides employers with a road map for hiring based on skills, not just on degrees. Employers identify “real-world skills” needed for a position, such as the ability to read for understanding and locate information. By turn, applicants take the WorkKeys assessment to measure their skill level and identify ways to improve, through online training, the skills that employers seek. In the DC/Baltimore region, New Options developed a web-based platform that links young adults to employers. In addition, applicants pursue training opportunities in fields ranging from boat-building to retail to hospitality, earning badges as they master learning benchmarks.