Student Intel Resource Hub

College readiness tells only half the story. ACT research shows that when educators and policymakers rely solely on academic measures, they risk overlooking students whose strengths emerge more clearly through workforce skill assessments. The ACT® WorkKeys® National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC®) sheds light on those applied skills — skills employers rely on and that connect students to in-demand career pathways.

The findings featured here — drawn from a study of 359,000 students — illustrate what these learners revealed about untapped talent, the distinct insights WorkKeys provides, and how combined measures offer a fuller, fairer view of student potential. Explore how many students demonstrate strong career skills even when they do not meet college-aligned benchmarks, and how performance varies across pathways and learner groups.

Use these resources to dig deeper into the data, view supporting visuals, and understand how multiple measures help reveal untapped talent — and inform the next steps for learners across every pathway.

Multiple Measures of College and Career Readiness: What Does the Evidence Suggest?