1. Contemporary/McGraw-Hill
Work Skills Going for GOLD! Career Readiness Preparation for Adult Learners
Month ####
Contemporary/McGraw-Hill

2. What Are We Talking About?
Identify the New Workforce: Why are we ill-prepared?
- Current dropout rates
- Adults beyond the reach of the K–12 system
- Causes and impacts of this situation
Research calls for a shift in ABE with a focus on career readiness and contextualized learning
Identify how career pathways provide a model
Explore how the Career Readiness Certificate (CRC) provides a framework for skills that should be contextualized
Model how contextualized instruction can be implemented to help learners develop applied ABE/ASE skills while building workplace competencies within a contextualized setting

3. Reality Check: Current and Future Realities
Going for CRC Gold!
Reality Check: Current and Future Realities

4. Current and Future Realities
Guide to Adult Education for Work: From the National Commission on Adult Literacy, presents powerful evidence of our failure to address America’s adult education and workforce skills needs and how this is putting our country in great jeopardy and threatening our nation’s standard of living and economic viability.
Reach Higher, America: From the One Step Forward Advisory group, National Center on Education and the Economy, in partnership with analyzes and makes recommendations for the education and training low-skilled adults need to become prepared for post-secondary or training, and for family-sustaining employment and career advancement. Noting the National Commission on Adult Literacy’s conclusion that the adult ed system is “ill-equipped to meet 21st Century needs,” this report focuses on the need for a transformation to an “Adult Education and workforce skills system,” part of a broader effort to build a career pathways system.
Getting Ahead, Staying Ahead: A report commissioned by the Business Roundtable as part of its Springboard Project initiative, a commission of 26 of the nation’s best thinkers and doers from different sectors. This report summarizes the commission's recommended strategies for closing the gap between workers’ current skills and those that employers need now and will need in the future.

5. Workforce Needs vs. Realities
Current and Future Realities
Workforce Needs vs. Realities
Workforce needs have changed and will continue to change on a global basis
There are both worker shortages as well as skills gaps that must be addressed in the U.S. and internationally
Over 61% of U.S. employers say it is difficult to find qualified workers to fill their vacancies
The economic impacts are severe and a fundamental issue that must be addressed at several levels
Regardless of the report, the consensus is nearly unanimous—the needs of the workforce have changed, and we are not preparing our students secondary and adult students to meet these workforce needs

6. Job Demands Are Shifting
Current and Future Realities
Job Demands Are Shifting
85%
Skilled Jobs
80%
In 1950, 80% of US jobs were unskilled. Today, just 6 decades later -- 85% of US jobs are SKILLED.
Unskilled Jobs 6

7. Trends in U.S. Job Task Content
Current and Future Realities
Trends in U.S. Job Task Content
Key Shifts Underway
Boomers are retiring, leaving manager gaps
Service jobs now dominate (60% today up from 36% in 1960) and make up 85% of income
So, as we hear about increasing unemployment rates, why is it that over 61% of U.S. employers say it is difficult to find qualified workers?
The issue is, as the U.S. moves from a production-oriented to a service-oriented, knowledge-based economy, the skills that are needed become both higher level and more abstract. Yet….
Source: The Conference Board: The Ill Prepared U.S. Workforce (2009)

8. 1 Million High School Dropouts Each Year…
Current and Future Realities
1 Million High School Dropouts Each Year…
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
7,000
students
7,000
students
7,000
students
7,000
students
7,000
students
7,000
students
7,000
students
7,000
students
7,000
students
7,000
students
Every year, more than a million young adults drop out of high school.
The United States is the only free market country with a young adult population that’s LESS educated than their parents
7,000
students
7,000
students
7,000
students
7,000
students
7,000
students
7,000
students
7,000
students
7,000
students
7,000
students
7,000
students
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2007 8

9. Current and Future Realities
The U.S. is the only highly developed democracy where young adults are less educated than the previous generation.
less educated 9

10. Current and Future Realities
…at the same time as the skills required for careers is increasing, the United States is becoming less educated. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the U.S. ranks 11th in percentage of adults with a high school diploma and is the ONLY OECD country where younger adults are actually less educated than the previous generation.

11. = WORKER SUPPLY EMPLOYER DEMAND What does this mean?
Current and Future Realities
What does this mean?
WORKER
SUPPLY
EMPLOYER
DEMAND =
The current US labor force is not meeting the demands of employers for highly skilled, highly trainable workers.
More than 18 million adults without a high school credential are in the labor force today.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2007

12. Alabama College Graduation Rates
Current and Future Realities
Alabama College Graduation Rates
State-Specific Slide
To get this data:
Go to and use the interactive map to select the state for which you are presenting.
Select “[your state] State Card.” You can also use this URL ( and substitute the “Alabama” with your state (no spaces) to link directly to your state-specific page.
Zoom in (the state card is a PDF), take a screen capture of the table entitled “[Your State] College Graduation Rates (in left-hand column), and paste into this slide.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics (2007)

13. Overall Preparation of New Workforce Entrants
Current and Future Realities
Overall Preparation of New Workforce Entrants
The difficulty is that, even though those students that are graduating, the overall preparation of these students for entering the workplace is still merely adequate or less than adequate. Nearly a third of all high school graduates are considered “deficient” in their preparation for entering the workforce.
Source: The Conference Board, 2009

14. High Need “Soft-Skill” Gaps
Current and Future Realities
High Need “Soft-Skill” Gaps
This is partly due to the fact that the skills we are teaching our high schoolers do not match the needs of today’s workplace.
Source: The Conference Board, 2009

15. High Need “Hard-Skill” Gaps
Current and Future Realities
High Need “Hard-Skill” Gaps
The Achievement Gap Is Economically Crippling
Only 15% low income students are proficient on NAEP Reading, Math only 17%, Writing only 15%
Source: The Conference Board, 2009

16. 21st Century Skills Current and Future Realities
Critical Thinking (Problem Solving)
Communication
Collaboration
Creativity
The traditional “3 R’s” of reading, writing, and arithmetic have been replaced with the “4 C’s”: creativity, collaboration, communication, and critical thinking (problem solving)
Source: Partnership for 21st Century Skills

17. Current and Future Realities
For years, nobody has been counting. Those without high-school degrees could still often find employment.
Low skill jobs still exist, however, in a knowledge-based economy, higher education is now required for entering the middle class.
In a knowledge-based economy, there is less and less ability for those without at least some higher education to gain access to family-sustaining employment. The impacts of this paradigm are severe.

18. State-Specific Slide The Impact? Economic Current and Future Realities
Alabama spends over $24M each year to provide community college remediation for recent high school graduates who did not acquire the basic skills necessary to succeed in college or at work.
Remedial classes cost community colleges an estimated $2 billion a year
Developmental education is fastest growing sector in education market.
See page 6 of for state-specific information in Bullet 1. Use “Annual Remediation Savings” column only.
Source: Alliance for Excellent Education

19. The Impact? Unemployment
Current and Future Realities
The Impact? Unemployment

20. The Impact? Earnings Current and Future Realities
Job seekers currently outnumber jobs by 6:1
79% of U.S. large companies identify significant skill gaps vs. their strategies
Closing the high school dropout rate worth additional $350 billion per year
Worth another $540 billion with 2-years of college training
Source: The Conference Board, 2009

21. The Impact? Unemployment & Earnings
Current and Future Realities
The Impact? Unemployment & Earnings
Source: Business Round Table, Springboard Project, 2009

22. State-Specific Slide The Impact? Health Current and Future Realities
The impact of low educational attainment is not simply economic.
[NOTE TO PRESENTER: Move circle to the state for which this presentation is being given. If multiple states, copy-paste the circle so that the animation occurs for each state being highlighted.

23. State-Specific Slide The Impact? Alabama Current and Future Realities
More than 25,100 students did not graduate from Alabama’s high schools in 2009; the lost lifetime earnings in Alabama for that class of dropouts alone totals more than $6.5B.
Alabama would save more than $245M in health care costs over the course of the lifetimes of each class of dropouts had they earned their diplomas.
See page 5 of ( for state-specific information in Bullet 1.
See page 5 of ( for state-specific information in Bullet 2.
Source: Alliance for Excellent Education

24. State-Specific Slide The Impact? Alabama Current and Future Realities
If all of Alabama’s high school graduates and GED recipients were “college-ready,” the state would save $53M a year in community college remediation costs and lost earnings.
Alabama’s economy would see a combination of savings and revenue of about $125M in reduced crime spending and increased earnings each year if the male high school graduation rate increased by just 5 percent.
See page 6 of for state-specific information in Bullet 1. Use “Total Benefit to State Economy” column.
See page 4 of ( for state-specific information in Bullet 2. Use “Total Benefit to State Economy” column.
Source: Alliance for Excellent Education

25. Jobs of the Future 45% 63% Current and Future Realities
Of the 30,000,000 new and replacement jobs between now and 2018…
45% will require a Bachelor’s Degree or higher
63% will require some college
45%
During the next 8 years, 63% of the 30 million new and replacement jobs will require some college…45% will require at least an associate’s degree.
63%
Source: Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, 2009 25

26. Current and Future Realities
Source: Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, 2009

27. Current and Future Realities
88 of 150 Million Adults in Labor Force with at Least One Educational Barrier
High School Diploma
No College
No High School
Diploma
18,229,340
51,365,340
8,226,214
Of 150 million adults in the labor force (the 2006 U.S. population ages 18-64), over half have at least one educational barrier decreasing or preventing their ability to join the knowledge-based economy. (Unduplicated population = 88,003,964).
5,005,943
5,177,127
Speak English
“Less Than Very Well”
Source: U.S. Census Bureau

28. Job Obsolescence Compared to 2006, by 2016 there will be:
Current and Future Realities
Job Obsolescence
Compared to 2006, by 2016 there will be:
131,000 fewer store clerks
118,000 fewer cashiers
114,000 fewer handpackers
Many jobs that remain will require newer skills that require an increased knowledge and skill base
In the meantime, those low-skill jobs that do exist are slowly disappearing.
Source: United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2009

29. The Need Current and Future Realities
More than 93 million adults score at the lower levels of national assessments of functional literacy skills and are unprepared to enroll in postsecondary education or job training.
While school reform hopes to curb our nation’s workforce problem, an estimated 65% of our nation’s 2020 workforce is already beyond the reach of our educational system.

30. Current and Future Realities
The Problem
Current adult basic education can’t meet current needs because of
Inadequate funding
Levels of service
Program focus

31. Problem: Inadequate Funding
Current and Future Realities
Problem: Inadequate Funding
In 2008, total funding for Adult Education and Literacy programs in the U.S. equaled $2.1 billion, with only $540 million of that coming from the federal government.
Source: OAVE

32. Workforce Investment Act
Current and Future Realities
Workforce Investment Act
Authorized in 1998
Reformed federal employment, adult education, and vocational rehabilitation programs to create an integrated “one-stop” system of workforce investment and education activities for adults and youth
Five titles
Title I: Adult, Dislocated Workers, Youth
Title II: Adult Education and Family Literacy Act
Title III: Workforce Investment-related activities
Title IV: Vocational Rehabilitation
Title V: Incentive grants, unified plans, etc.
Source:

33. WIA Title I: Adult, Dislocated Workers, Youth
Current and Future Realities
WIA Title I: Adult, Dislocated Workers, Youth
Grants to states and local areas for employment and training services
State and local workforce investment boards—responsible for planning, partnerships, and oversight
One-stop career centers—provide access to services provided by WIA and partner programs
Source:

34. WIA Title II: Adult Education & Family Literacy Act
Current and Future Realities
WIA Title II: Adult Education & Family Literacy Act
Grants provided to states to fund local programs providing adult education and literacy services, including workplace literacy services, family literacy services, English literacy, and GED prep
For adults and out-of-school youth age 16 & older
Multiple goals for the program, including gaining knowledge and skills necessary for self-sufficiency
Source:

35. Current and Future Realities
Students’ goals are economic, postsecondary credentials key for reaching them
WA state survey—86% of adult ed students have employment goals.
For low-skilled adults, the largest economic payoffs are in postsecondary. One year of college = 10% increase in earnings (as true for GED grads as for HS grads)
Getting a GED alone does increase earnings, but by less than a high school diploma. (Only pays off significantly for dropouts with lowest skills and for immigrants.)
Vocational certificates and degrees pay off more than academic ones at the Associate level and below.
Up until now, assumption by programs and by adult ed. students has been that GED is the best route to good jobs and postsecondary education.
Source:

36. Current and Future Realities

37. Problem: Limited Levels of Service
Current and Future Realities
Problem: Limited Levels of Service
More than 18 million adults lack a high school diploma or credential and 90 million adults scored at the lowest levels on National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL).
Yet, the federal program serves only 3 million adults a year.

38. For lower skilled adults, the basic skills disconnect looms largest
Current and Future Realities
For lower skilled adults, the basic skills disconnect looms largest
Adult ed is focused on the GED, but a majority of students don’t earn one, and few GED grads ever complete postsecondary credentials:
Most adult ed students stay for 30 to 80 hours of instruction ( = 1 grade level)
Only 12% complete >1 year of college in first decade after earning GED. 3% earn at least AA degree.
Bottom line: Over several decades, of 100 adult ed. students, about 8 go on to postsecondary and 2 get a BA. Very few ELLs transition.

39. The Goal? 20 Million by 2020 Current and Future Realities
Source: Reach Higher, America

40. The Goal? Substantial Increase in Outcomes
Current and Future Realities
The Goal? Substantial Increase in Outcomes
Source: Reach Higher, America

41. State-Specific Slide The Outcomes? Economic
Current and Future Realities
The Outcomes? Economic
State-Specific Slide
A 1% increase in graduation rate for associate and bachelor degrees would produce a cumulative increase in national income of $291 billion by the year 2030
Alabama households would have nearly $1.6B more in additional collective wealth if all heads of households had graduated from high school.
See page 5 of ( state-specific information in Bullet 2.
Source: Alliance for Excellent Education

42. How will we achieve this? Career Pathways—A Sensible Solution
Current and Future Realities
How will we achieve this? Career Pathways—A Sensible Solution
Research shows that students who put a career path in place during their high school years are 47% more likely to complete postsecondary education
Pathways include developing career goals combined with the education needed to attain those goals

43. What are Career Pathways?
Current and Future Realities
What are Career Pathways?
Linked education and training services that–
“enable students, often while they are working, to advance over time to successively higher levels of education and employment in a given industry or occupational sector. Each step on a career pathway is designed explicitly to prepare students to progress to the next level of employment and education.” ~ Oregon Career Pathways initiative
Greater alignment: Ideally career pathways are not a separate program but a framework for weaving together adult education, training, and college programs that are currently siloed and connecting those services to employers’ workforce needs.
Source:

44. Key Changes: Adult Education for Work
Going for CRC Gold!
Key Changes: Adult Education for Work

45. Adult Education for Work
Adult Education Today
Educators and policy makers have long believed that our Adult Education system for teaching basic skills should serve many goals, including:
personal enrichment
language and life skills
increased civic participation
improved parental responsibilities

46. Adult Education Tomorrow
Adult Education for Work
Adult Education Tomorrow
“…a Career Pathways system that moves low-skilled adults through a continua of workforce oriented AE programs on to postsecondary (degree and non-degree certificate) programs that lead to family sustaining employment and career-advancement.”
Source: National Center on Education and the Economy, 2009

47. Greater Alignment between Titles I and II is on the Horizon
Adult Education for Work
Greater Alignment between Titles I and II is on the Horizon
Administration’s Workforce Investment Act reauthorization recommendations emphasize closer alignment
Maintain focus on educational goals in adult ed, yet greater focus on moving all students along a trajectory ending with postsecondary and career success
Establish consistent performance measures and definitions
Career pathways movement
American Graduation Initiative
Source:

48. American Graduation Initiative
Adult Education for Work
American Graduation Initiative
Introduced by President Obama at Macomb Community College (Detroit, MI), July 14, 2009
Goal: An additional 5 million community college graduates by 2020 (degrees and certificates)
Reflects emerging themes of Administration and Congress:
Focus on community colleges
Emphasis on persistence and completion
Integration of education and workforce needs through career pathways including adult education
Evidence-based innovation
Source:

49. The Specifics of Career Pathways
Adult Education for Work
The Specifics of Career Pathways
Learners receive extensive and ongoing career guidance in how to navigate the education and labor systems
Curricula is contextualized to include application of job-related skills
Instructional methods are designed to teach work readiness skills and skills are taught within vocational contexts

50. Adult Education for Work
Source: National Center on Education and the Economy, 2009

51. What is the purpose of a career pathway?
Adult Education for Work
What is the purpose of a career pathway?
Transitions between levels clearly articulated
ABE/ASE teaches skills required to enter postsecondary certification or degree programs without need for remediation
GED prep offered but end goal is readiness for career or postsecondary without remediation

52. Benefit of a Career Pathway
Key Changes: Adult Education for Work
Benefit of a Career Pathway
Length of stay shortened because of
Accelerated advancement
High-intensity programming
Dual enrollment
Integrated curricula
Bridge courses

53. What are career pathway bridge programs?
Key Changes: Adult Education for Work
What are career pathway bridge programs?
Career pathway bridge programs typically cover “soft skills,” pre-college academic skills, and specific job skills, ideally one that is part of a career pathway.
Career pathway bridges tailor and contextualize the adult ed/ELL content to general workplace needs and to the knowledge and skills needed in a specific occupation.
e.g., bridge programs in manufacturing cover blueprint reading, statistical process control. Those in health care cover intro to human biology, vocabulary and math for health careers.
Partners in bridge programs can be employers, unions, community-based organizations, community colleges, and others.
Source:

54. Types of Partnerships Key Changes: Adult Education for Work
Partnerships with One-Stop Center to provide labor market information and career information to adult education providers.
Partner with One-Stop to provide adult education services at One-Stop
Referral arrangement to One-Stop and from One-Stop to adult ed providers
Contextualizing basic skills/literacy content to occupations/sectors
Co-enrolling individuals in Title I and II
Integrated basic skills/literacy and training.
Source:

55. Quality Elements of a Career Pathway System
Key Changes: Adult Education for Work
Quality Elements of a Career Pathway System
Program Design
Curriculum and Instruction
Assessment and Credentialing
High-Quality Teaching
Support and Follow-up Services
Connections to Business Community
Monitoring and Accountability Systems

56. The “New Basics” of Adult Education
Key Changes: Adult Education for Work
The “New Basics” of Adult Education
Current
Future
Customer
Student is the primary customer
Students and employers are the customers
Goal of curricula
Life skills are the primary goal
Work readiness skills and preparation for post secondary education are the primary goals
Content focus
Applying literacy, numeracy, and English language learning to everyday life tasks
Literacy and numeracy and English language learning as well as thinking and reasoning skills such as problem solving, teamwork, and following instructions
Source: National Center on Education and the Economy, 2009

57. “New Basics” for Adult Education for Work
How work readiness is taught
Might include some employment-related tasks like filling out a job application
Teaches basic skills in a work context and stresses good work habits such as punctuality, diligence, communication, and appropriate dress and behavior
Program focus
Driven by students’ personal goals, needs, and interests
Driven by students’ employment goals, the skill needs of family-sustaining jobs and the entry requirements for postsecondary education and training
End goal
Most Adult Education students never achieve a GED, much less a postsecondary education that is the key to success in today’s economy.
Most students achieve a high level of basic and workforce readiness skills and are prepared to enter postsecondary education and training and family-sustaining jobs.

58. Academic Skills at the Heart of Career Pathway Success
“New Basics” for Adult Education for Work
Academic Skills at the Heart of Career Pathway Success
To employment in high-demand field
Being “career-ready” includes demonstrating:
Personal competencies
Academic competencies
Workplace “soft” skills
Career focus
From unemployment/underemployment
Source: Adult Career Pathways: Providing a Second Chance in Public Education

59. Going for CRC Gold!
Establishing a Standard: Career Readiness and the CRC – A Model Framework

60. Career Readiness Preparation and the CRC
Jobs Come, Jobs Go
700,000 different certificates are awarded each year, but many are not transportable, transferrable, and stackable—that is, able to be combined with others.
Between the ages of 18 and 42, today’s worker can expect to hold an average of 11 different jobs.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, 2009
In 2009 alone, more than 56 million people were hired, and 59 million people left their jobs.
Even though workers seek training, 41% are unsure as to whether that training will actually pay off.
The changes in skill requirements for jobs, combined with the shrinking longevity of jobs within career paths, has created a need for employers to focus specifically on worker skills.
Source: United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2006.

61. The Need for a Common Language
Career Readiness Preparation and the CRC
The Need for a Common Language
Employers need to know their workers’ levels of trainability for rapidly emerging technologies and careers of today.
Career Readiness Certificates are designed to be a portable skills credential, based on a common language, that can be easily understood by employers and educators.

62. Career Readiness Certification
Career Readiness Preparation and the CRC
Career Readiness Certification
ACT WorkKeys® is a job skills assessment
Foundational skills assessments measure cognitive abilities for 18,000 jobs
Communication—Business Writing, Listening, Reading for Information, Writing
Problem Solving—Applied Technology, Applied Mathematics, Locating Information, Observation
Interpersonal—Teamwork
Core battery comprised of 3 tests: Reading for Information, Applied Mathematics, Locating Information
Core battery scores confirm competency levels for Career Readiness Certificates (CRCs)
Includes both applied academic “hard” skills and workplace “soft” skills. Focus is on the application of the skills themselves through problem solving scenarios.
Workplace Skills series focuses on the core battery that is used for determining career readiness certification eligibility—Applied Mathematics, Reading for Information, and Locating Information.
Source: ACT

63. Top 10 Issuing States Career Readiness Preparation and the CRC
South Carolina
113,688
Georgia
100,542
Michigan
74,982
Indiana
66,023
Florida
49,500
North Carolina
40,439
Ohio
37,000
Oklahoma
35,920
Alabama
24,265
Virginia
24,104
Many states also offer state-level certification
There are an increasing number of states are requiring CRC Test for graduation (so that graduates can demonstrate they are work-ready as opposed to simply college-ready).
More than 1 million state or national CRCs issued to date
Source: National Career Readiness Certificate Consortium

64. Career Readiness Certificate Consortium
Career Readiness Preparation and the CRC
Career Readiness Certificate Consortium
Click 1: Shows blank map
Click 2: Shows dark blue states (states where CRCs are deployed statewide)
Click 3: Shows light blue states (states where CRC deployment is in progress)
Click 4: Shows gray states (states that are interested in deploying the CRC)
2010, CRC deployed in 23 states, 15 states are in process, and 12 are interested
In many states where high school performance is lagging, skills credentials are overshadowing GED certificates and high school diplomas.
CRCs deployed statewide
CRC deployment in progress
Interested in deploying CRC
Source: National Career Readiness Certificate Consortium

65. Linking Skills to Occupations
Career Readiness Preparation and the CRC
Linking Skills to Occupations
The CRC provides a common language by linking skill levels within AM, LI, and RI to occupations. By identifying the skill levels needed to be successful within an occupation, learners have a clear sense of what skills they need to attain in order to begin down a career path toward that occupation.
Source: ACT

66. Skill Profiles/Gap Analysis
Career Readiness Preparation and the CRC
Skill Profiles/Gap Analysis
Pre-assessment identifies learner skill levels.
Career interest profile assessment identifies potential careers. Competency levels for each occupation help identify target skill attainment levels.
Skill gaps help identify where instruction should begin.
Applied
Mathematics
Locating
Information
Reading for
Skill Profile: Nursing Aides 4 4
Click 1 (Bullet 1): Reveals the sample learner skill levels based on his or her pre-assessment scores.
Click 2 (Bullet 2): Reveals the Occupational Skill levels required in AM, LI, and RI for Nursing Aides.
Click 3 (Bullet 3): Reveals the skill gaps, which identify where this learner’s instruction should begin.
Pre-Assessments of skill levels can help indicate skill levels in Applied Mathematics (AM), Reading for Information (RI), and Locating Information (LI)
Occupational skill levels identify skills needed for thousands of careers. ACT provides a list of occupational levels that are needed in order to be successful in over 18,000 different occupations.
Skill gaps help identify where users should begin with skill development and to what levels they should be working toward based on career goals 3 3 3 3
Occupational
Skill Levels 3 2 2
Skill Gaps
Learner
Skill Levels

67. CRC Levels Career Readiness Preparation and the CRC
Bronze
Score at least Level 3 in all core areas. Foundational skills for 35% of jobs in the ACT database
Used by employers for skills screening, hiring and promotion, and targeting employee training and development
Credential levels indicate percent of jobs qualified for in the ACT occupational database
Provides a common measure for employers to determine workers’ skill levels based on standardized assessments
Skills outlined on back of CRC
Silver
Score at least Level 4 in all core areas. Foundational skills for 65% of jobs in the ACT database
Gold
Score at least Level 5 in all core areas. Foundational skills for 90% of jobs in the ACT database
Clicks: Each click reveals one of the skill levels, starting with Bronze.
Level of CRC earned dependent on score on LI, AM, and RI.
Examples of employers who require CRC for hiring—Tyson, Bosch, Boeing, Carnival Cruiselines
Minimum score of 3 = Bronze, 4 = Silver, 5 = Gold. Have added a platinum level—6—which is the highest it will be, b/c LI only goes to Level 6.
Platinum
Score at least Level 6 in all core areas. Foundational skills for 99% of jobs in the ACT database
Source: ACT

68. Clear Pathways, Benchmarks, and Goals
Career Readiness Preparation and the CRC
Clear Pathways, Benchmarks, and Goals
Click: Reveals all slide text and images.
The Department of Labor’s Education and Training Administration (ETA) has developed a framework for competency models that many industries are now using to show the building blocks of skills and associated certifications needed in order to be “work-ready” within that industry.
The competency model shown on the slide, developed by The Manufacturing Institute for the National Association of Manufacturing, shows the certifications needed within manufacturing on the left side and the competencies that must be evident in order to gain each certification.
The “blocks” from the bottom up to red (Personal Effectiveness, Academic, and Workplace Competencies) comprise the skills that are needed in order to be what NAM considers “work-ready.” The aligned certification is the National Career Readiness Certificate.
Source: NAM-Endorsed Skills Certification System. The Manufacturing Institute.

69. TEACH TO THE TASK! So, do I teach to the test?
Career Readiness Preparation and the CRC
So, do I teach to the test?
Core CRC skills align to ABE skills
Key difference is teaching the skills while applying the skills to workplace situations—
TEACH TO THE TASK!
Teaching to the task promotes relevance and provides the ability to combine ABE/core competencies with technical training
Clicks: Each click reveals a new bullet.
Since CRC skills align strongly to TABE, you can easily cover TABE skills through applied, contextualized instruction of CRC skills.
Regardless of whether students within a program are planning to take a CRC test, teaching skills within applied workplace scenarios is sound practice for establishing relevance and developing students’ higher-level ability to apply skills.

70. Teaching to the Task: Strategies for Contextualized Instruction
Going for CRC Gold!
Teaching to the Task: Strategies for Contextualized Instruction

71. Reading for Information—Goals
Strategies for Contextualized Instruction
Reading for Information—Goals
To measure the skills people use when they read and use written text in order to do a job.
Written texts include memos, direction, signs, notices, bulletins, policies, and regulations.
Sometimes these written communications are not necessarily well-written or targeted to the appropriate audience.

72. Reading for Information  TABE
Strategies for Contextualized Instruction
Reading for Information  TABE
Reading for
Information Skills
TABE Skills
Identify main idea and details
Choose the correct meaning of everyday and workplace words
Apply technical terms & jargon
Understand & apply instructions
Identify implied details
Identify & explain principles of workplace policies
Words in Context—Same & opposite meaning, correct word
Recall Information—Details, sequence, stated concepts
Construct Meaning—Main idea, summary, conclusion
Evaluate/Extend Meaning—Apply elements, generalization, author intention

73. Contextualized Reading Instruction
Strategies for Contextualized Instruction
Contextualized Reading Instruction
If you are required to enter a confined space, your supervisor is required to instruct you as to:
What kinds of hazards you may run into and why those hazards are dangerous.
The necessary precautions to take for each type of hazard.
The use of any protective and/or emergency equipment and instruments required.
Although construction people are not required to follow the permit-required confined space entry program that those working in general industry are, many of the requirements of the construction regulations fit nicely into the program. And, it is a way to maximize your safety. Your participation in the development and implementation of a permit-required confined space entry program is encouraged.
This example uses information from the OSHA Construction Handbook. There are numerous skills being practiced here
Identify main idea: What is the main idea?
Identify important details: What information is your supervisor required to provide you when your job requires you to work in a confined space?
Explain the Rationale Behind Workplace Communications: What is the purpose of this passage?
The TABE skills that this aligns to are Construct Meaning: Main Idea; Recall Information: Details; and Evaluate/Extend Meaning: Author Purpose
Source: Keller’s Official OSHA Construction Handbook

74. Contextualized Vocabulary Instruction
Strategies for Contextualized Instruction
Contextualized Vocabulary Instruction
To: All medical assistants
Re: New software
In an effort to quickly transfer patient records into the new software system, please review the following important features:
How to complete personal information for every patient
How diagnoses are added to a patient’s chart via the software
What medications the patient is taking and how these are correlated, or matched, to the diagnoses by the software
How to recognize software alerts warning of actual or potential danger from medications that should not be combined
How to recognize software alerts warning that a drug is not recommended due to a condition that makes the medication unsuitable or dangerous for a particular patient
This example uses a workplace memo. The skill being practiced here is identifying the meaning of a word that is clearly defined in the reading. The TABE skill that this aligns to is defining words in context.
CLICK: What is the meaning of the underlined word? What words in context provide the meaning of this word. (Click underlines “correlated” within the passage.)
How does this contextualized passage help someone in a health science career pathway better understand the skills needed and situations that arise on the job? How does in create relevance for learning how to define words in context?

75. How do I provide this for my students?
Strategies for Contextualized Instruction
How do I provide this for my students?
Provide real workplace documents: s
HR forms and documents, such as policies and procedures
Guidelines documents
Career OneStop/Bureau of Labor Statistics

76. Strategies for Contextualized Instruction

77. Strategies for Contextualized Instruction
From: Rosin, Mitch Date: Tue, 18 May 2010
To: All Employees
Subject: Dress Code Policy
With the warmer weather approaching it’s a good time to remind employees about our dress code.
All employees and contractors should dress appropriately for a professional work environment, whether they choose to wear traditional business (i.e. suit & tie) or business casual attire (Dockers and golf shirt). Full compliance is expected
As a reminder, appropriate dress includes
- Slacks or khaki-style pants - Collared or dress shirts
- Sport jackets or blazers Casual Skirts (knee length)
- Dress Shoes Jeans (permitted on Fridays)

78. Locating Information—Goals
Strategies for Contextualized Instruction
Locating Information—Goals
To measure the skills people use when they work with workplace graphics.
Workers must find information and insert information into graphics, as well as compare, analyze, and summarize information found in related graphics.
Workplace graphics include charts, graphs, tables, forms, flowcharts, diagrams, floor plans, maps, and instrument gauges.

79. Locating Information  TABE
Strategies for Contextualized Instruction
Locating Information  TABE
Locating Information Skills
TABE Skills
Find information in graphics
Understand how graphics relate to each other
Identify and compare trends
Summarize information from graphics
Draw conclusions from graphics
Use graphics information to make decisions
Interpret Graphic Information
Signs
Maps
Dictionary usage
Reference Sources
Graphics
Forms
Consumer Materials

80. Contextualized Summarization of Workplace Graphics
Strategies for Contextualized Instruction
Contextualized Summarization of Workplace Graphics
Find information in graphics
Summarize the information from straightforward graphics.
This example uses a form. The skills being practiced here are “Find information in graphics” and “summarize information from one or two straightforward graphics.” The TABE skill that this aligns to is interpret graphic information from forms.
Using any workplace form, graph, chart, or table, you can help students learn to locate information (How many copies are needed? What size paper should be used?) and to summarize that information (How would you explain this copy request to a coworker?)

81. Strategies for Contextualized Instruction
This example requires the student to use two graphics. The skill being practiced are “find information from one or two graphics,” “understand how graphics relate,” and “apply information from one or more complicated graphics to specific situations.” The TABE skill is to interpret graphic information.
As the manager of Lindy’s Sandwich Shop, you are creating the schedule. You have almost completed the schedule for your part-time employees, but still have the Tuesday evening shift to fill. Who is available to work the open shift on Tuesday?

82. How do I provide this for my students?
Strategies for Contextualized Instruction
How do I provide this for my students?
Provide real workplace graphics:
Break rooms and common areas
Manuals for office equipment
Workplace forms
Career exploration sites
Break rooms and common areas are typically chock-full of workplace documents and graphics, including safety guidelines,
Manuals for equipment

83. Menu of career information
(careeronestop.org)
Using the Department of Labor’s “Career OneStop” site, students can search for information on the career of their choice.
Occupational profiles provide opportunities to practice locating information skills, while provide students with background on potential careers of interest.
CLICK: Where on this page can I learn about employment trends in careers as Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers? (Click reveals a callout box pointing to the menu list/page TOC “Employment Trends.”)

84. Students learn that by selecting the navigation link, they are brought to the portion of the page that includes that information.
Using data statistics from occupational profiles, such as employment and wage trends, students can practice locating and comparing information from charts, lists, and other graphics.

85. Applied Mathematics—Goals
Strategies for Contextualized Instruction
Applied Mathematics—Goals
Measure the skills people use when they apply mathematical reasoning, critical thinking, and problem-solving techniques to work-related problems.
Applied mathematics skills needed include basic and advanced computation, using percentages, converting and calculating measurements, and finding the best deal.

86. Applied Mathematics  TABE
Strategies for Contextualized Instruction
Applied Mathematics  TABE
Applied Mathematics Skills
TABE Skills
Convert simple money and time units
Calculate averages, ratios, proportions, and rates
Put information in the right order before calculating
Calculate using mixed units
Find area & volume of shapes
Find the best deal
Mathematics Computation
Number and Number Operations
Computation in Context—whole numbers, decimals, fractions, percents
Measurement—Calendar, appropriate unit, area, rate, convert measurement units
Problem Solving / Reasoning

87. Contextualized Computation
Strategies for Contextualized Instruction
Contextualized Computation
Based on the diagram, what length will you need to cut the wood for Rail A if this side will contain 4 balusters?
This problem involves carpentry, part of the Architecture and Construction career cluster.
The skills being practiced are “solve problems with math operations” and “add up to three fractions that share a common denominator.” The TABE skill is addition of fractions and computation in context.

88. Contextualized Measurement
Strategies for Contextualized Instruction
Contextualized Measurement
As a nursing attendant at a nursing home, you must make certain that patients take their medication. One of your patients needs medication every 4 hours. You gave the patient his last does at 10:30 AM. At what time should you give him the next dose?
2:00 AM
2:30 AM
10:34 AM
1:30 PM
2:30 PM
The skills being practiced are “solve problems with math operations” and “convert time.” The TABE skill is computation in context and measurement: time.

89. How do I provide this for my students?
Strategies for Contextualized Instruction
How do I provide this for my students?
Use existing problems and change the subject:
Susan buys $47.63 worth of groceries and hands the cashier $60. How much change should Susan get back?
You are a cashier at a specialty food store. A customer’s total comes to $47.63, and she hands you $60. How much change should she get back?

90. How do I provide this for my students?
Strategies for Contextualized Instruction
How do I provide this for my students?
Consider common mathematics concepts that span different careers/clusters —timesheets, budgets, taxes, etc.

91. Workplace Skills Series
Strategies for Contextualized Instruction
Workplace Skills Series

92. Contemporary’s Workplace Skills
Strategies for Contextualized Instruction
Contemporary’s Workplace Skills
Develops core contextualized skills for:
Applied Mathematics: Mathematical reasoning and critical thinking skills through realistic workplace scenarios
Reading for Information: Effective reading comprehension and synthesis skills through documents such as letters, s, directions, regulations, and policies
Locating Information: Retrieve and use information communicated through graphic sources (flow charts, diagrams, forms, and tables)
Provides consistent problem-solving approach in testing and workplace scenarios 92

93. Contextualized Practice
Strategies for Contextualized Instruction
Contextualized Practice
Instruction and skill practice covering CRC Levels 37 in each book
Builds core CRC competencies from lowest to highest level
Practice and assessment of all skills learners encounter on CRC tests
Applied Mathematics: 32 lessons covering all skills needed at levels 3-7
Reading for Information: 25 lessons covering all skills needed at levels 3-7
Locating Information: 14 lessons covering all skills needed at levels 3-6
Full lesson for every skill (every skill = lesson) learners will encounter on a CRC Test 93

94. Basic Skills Instruction
Strategies for Contextualized Instruction
Basic Skills Instruction
Instruction in TABE aligned basic skills
Builds core competencies from lowest to highest level
Applied Mathematics: 32 lessons covering all skills needed at levels 3-7
Reading for Information: 25 lessons covering all skills needed at levels 3-7
Locating Information: 14 lessons covering all skills needed at levels 3-6
Full lesson for every skill (every skill = lesson) learners will encounter on a CRC Test 94

95. Models Skill Application
Strategies for Contextualized Instruction
Models Skill Application
Model skill application and test-taking strategies through the Plan for Successful Solving
Learners are better prepared for test-taking situations
Consistent modeling builds learner confidence for problem solving in workplace and test-taking situations
Plan for Successful Problem Solving is the same across all three books = consistent approach to problem solving in test-taking and real-world situations
Also includes a Remember! note for additional skills support in the context of the problem.
Problem Solving Tip provides a tip relevant to the problem to help support test-taking approach (i.e., eliminating unreasonable/incorrect answers, etc.) 95

96. Model Skill Application
Strategies for Contextualized Instruction
Model Skill Application
Consistent problem-solving approach modeled for every skill in all three titles.
Model skill application and test-taking strategies through the Plan for Successful Solving. Plan for Successful Problem Solving is the same across all three books = consistent approach to problem solving in test-taking and real-world situations.
Learners are better prepared for test-taking situations.
Consistent modeling builds learner confidence for problem solving in workplace and test-taking situations.
Also includes a Remember! note for additional skills support in the context of the problem.
Problem Solving Tip provides a tip relevant to the problem to help support test-taking approach (i.e., eliminating unreasonable/incorrect answers, etc.)

97. Contextualized Practice
Strategies for Contextualized Instruction
Contextualized Practice
Provide practice applying skill in realistic workplace scenarios
Robust content and problem-solving skill development
Real-world scenarios link skills with actual jobs
Applied scenarios increase learner motivation
Extensive practice with CRC Test style problems for every single skill
-Applied Math = 16 problems per skill
-Reading for Information = 12 per skill
-Locating Information = 24 per skill (good b/c identified as most needed practice) 97

98. Comprehensive Career & Industry Coverage
Strategies for Contextualized Instruction
Comprehensive Career & Industry Coverage
Contextualized problems for over 800 careers across the 16 DOL Career Clusters
Provides real-world problem-solving practice across a variety of careers, including green sectors
Relevant problem-solving practice establishes a purpose for learning, regardless of career goals
DOL uses 16 career clusters to organize U.S. job segments and jobs.
Throughout the program, problems include jobs across all clusters, helping motivate the learner. Regardless of the learner’s career goals, the relevance of each skill can be seen across the clusters. 98

99. Workplace Skills Series
Strategies for Contextualized Instruction
Workplace Skills Series