Linking Schools to Business and Industry Using the National Career Readiness Certificate Leland High School Oswego High School Waubonsee Community College March 16,

Your Experience with the National Career Readiness Certificate? No knowledge Heard of it, but what do I do with it? Heard of it, would like to use it Currently using the NCRC 2

Today What is the NCRC Rural high school Suburban high school Community college Link to business and industry 3

The Jargon ACT – A research/test publisher that measures college and workplace aptitudes WorkKeys – Assessments developed by ACT to measure workplace skills and aptitudes National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) –a portable, nationally recognized credential based on four skill levels (Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum) 4

National Career Readiness Certificate What is it? Portable credential of skills 3 WorkKeys assessments Provides a common language about what types and levels of skills are needed for jobs (levels1-7) Link between high schools, employers, job seekers, trainers 5

What is the NCRC? Developed by ACT Researched and profiled 17,000 jobs throughout the United States Common language and measure of job skills Expectations between employers, current and future employees, high schools, community colleges Ties to O*NET 66

WorkKeys Assessments Workplace Foundational Sk ills Reading for Information (RI) Reading for Information (RI) Applied Mathematics (AM) Applied Mathematics (AM) Locating Information (LI) Locating Information (LI) Applied Technology Applied Technology Teamwork Teamwork Observation Observation Listening Listening Writing Writing Business writing Business writing 85% of ALL occupations utilize these skills National Career Readiness Certificate National Career Readiness Certificate 77

The 3 Foundational Skills Applied Mathematics (AM) Applied Mathematics (AM) Skills people use to apply mathematical reasoning, critical thinking, and problem-solving techniques to work-related problems Locating Information (LI) Locating Information (LI) Skills people use to work with workplace graphics Reading for Information (RI) Reading for Information (RI) Skills people use to read and use written text (Note: This slide has been corrected.) 8

National Career Readiness Certificate Levels and Employability 3-Bronze - Aptitude for approximately 35% of jobs in ACT database (entry level e.g. CNA, machinist) 4-Silver - Aptitude for approximately 65% of jobs (middle skill jobs e.g. allied health, manufacturing technology) 5-Gold - Aptitude for approximately 90% of jobs (four year degree e.g. Registered Nurse, engineer) 6-Platinum - Aptitude for approximately 99% of jobs (graduate degree e.g. physician, physicist) 99

Applied Mathematics Examples of Level Skills 3- add/subtract negative numbers; convert decimals to fractions 4- multiply negative numbers; calculate averages 5- divide negative numbers; calculate perimeters and areas of basic shapes 6- rearrange a formula before solving a problem 7-calculate multiple areas/volumes of spheres, cylinders, or cones 10

Sampling of WorkKeys Levels Graphic Designer Machinist Registered Nurse Civil Engineer Lawyer Human Resource Manager AM LI RI

12

TM NCRC STATE CRC STATE ACTIVITY REGIONAL NCRC/WORKKEYS ACTIVITY LIMITED WORKKEYS ACTIVITY

LELAND HIGH SCHOOL RURAL HIGH SCHOOL 14

Leland High School Why? Validates PSAE Day 2 Tangible credential that gives more information than high school diploma Focus on skills related to particular jobs Rewards students who may not usually receive school honors School needs to do its part to expose business/industry to this opportunity 15

Logistics Assess all seniors who have 3 or better on Reading for Information and Applied Mathematics : all seniors qualified (22 students) : all but 1 senior qualified (23 students) 16

Locating Information (WorkKeys Assessment) 45 minute assessment Testing environment similar to ACT Students can receive accommodations Generate pre-ID label Use Waubonsee Community College as the site administrator Matches LI assessment with 2 from PSAE to issue NCRC 17

The Cost Assessment $6.50 National Career Readiness Certificate $15 Approximately $22 / student ACT site license fee $0, Waubonsee pays the $250 fee 18

Funding VALEES (EFE) provides mini-grants Funded 100% of the cost both years 19

Connection to Business and Industry All juniors and seniors job shadow one- on-one Bring resumes with WorkKeys scores to employers Thank you gift to employers USB drive with CRC info Stress ball light bulb with CRC website 20

Lelands Results : All students received either bronze, silver, or gold Valedictorian and salutatorian earned Silver (not Gold) : 21/23 students received NCRC 5 Gold, 15 Silver, 1 Bronze 21

National Career Readiness Certificates Awarded at Honors Night Allows students who might not receive other academic awards to take part Submit Honors Night winners to newspaper 22

OSWEGO HIGH SCHOOL SUBURBAN HIGH SCHOOL 23

Oswego High School Grant allowed up to 75 participants : 44 participants : 33 participants Targeted seniors who were participating in classes with internship opportunities Medical Topics; ICE; Banking & Finance; Restaurant Management 2 Students must have scored 3 or higher to be eligible for NCRC 24

Oswegos Results Year : of the 44 scores reported 100% scored a 3 or higher on Locating Information assessment Level 6 – 2% Platinum Level 5 – 49%Gold Level 4 – 47%Silver Level 3 – 2%Bronze 25

Year : 33 students tested Level 6 – 0% Platinum Level 5 – 30%Gold Level 4 – 61%Silver Level 3 – 9%Bronze 26

Follow-Up After results were received we followed up with a workshop for students. Students explored and were allowed to register their certificates and explore the scores and perspective career paths. Teenagers Preparing for the Real World were handed out to each student. WCC Workforce Development, awarded certificates at Senior Awards Night. 27

WAUBONSEE COMMUNITY COLLEGE 28

Why is a Community College Interested Outreach and Advoacy Local and Statewide Initiatives 29

Waubonsee Community College Workforce Development department stakeholders Employers High schools Economic Development professionals Workforce Investment Boards Job seekers and changers Job preparation and skill development 30

Why the NCRC? Common language and objective measure Employers we cant find employees with math skills to be a ___________ Job seekers what does it take to be a ______? 31

Employer Benefits-WIFM? Improved quality of new hires Reduction in training time (50%)* Increased productivity (errors reduced 90%)* Lower turnover (32-50%)* Identification of skill gaps Targeted career development *Cited in anecdotal employer case studies Morningstar Foods, Northrup Grumman, Midamerican Energy, and Owensboro Medical Healthcare System. 32

Why Employers are Using the NCRC Additional resource to make hiring and training decisions Supplements knowledge of applicants skills and abilities Complements traditional credentials (diploma) National standard Easy to understand and quantify Readily available information on meaning of skills and skill levels 33

Part of a Layered Credential NCRC is a foundational credential Industry-specific certificates build upon NCRC Manufacturing Skill Standards Council National Association of Manufacturers CNA (certified nursing assistant) others 34

Why in the Fox Valley? Attract/retain employers with proof of a highly skilled workforce Proves existence of pipeline of career ready employees Aids economic development through increased worker productivity, providing a strong community infrastructure Provides common language 35

NCRCs Waubonsee Community College statistics 116 NCRCs-February 2009 and December 2010 Certificate holders are: high school seniors (3 schools) community college students in career and technical programs (auto body, CNA, IDT) adults in the workforce unemployed or underemployed adults in union construction career program Recently (2011) tested 262 high school seniors 4 additional schools 36

ACCEPTANCE BY THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY 37

Local and regional initiatives Geographic Elgin Freeport DuPage County McHenry County Springfield Stephenson County Community Colleges College of DuPage Elgin Community College Highland Community College Spoon River Community College Southwestern Community College Waubonsee Community College 38

Illinois NCRC Strategic Planning Team Vision Statement To establish the NCRC as the credential recognized by business, education, and government as the benchmark for workplace skills in Illinois. Members Representatives from 4 Workforce Investment Boards Business K-12 System Higher Education ACT Membership associations 39

Letters of Commitment Asking employers to: sign LOC Ask for NCRC in job postings Include NCRC in addition to other hiring criteria Use NCRC as a tool for employee development Advocacy website: org 40

Questions? ACT Test Education Workforce International 41

Contact Information 42 Laura Edwards Leland High School Paula Hilderbrand Oswego High School Lesa Norris Waubonsee Community College