1. Introduction Tony Cortez, Account Executive
Steve Anderson, Senior Account Executive

2. Agenda Introduction to WorkKeys
Data driven indicators for skill specific job requirements
Score interpretation (level and scale scores)
Helping students achieve workplace success
Wrap up

3. Introduction to WorkKeys
WorkKeys is a job skills assessment system measuring "real-world" skills that employers believe are critical to job success.
There are eight foundational skill assessments:
Applied Mathematics, Locating Information, Reading for Information, Applied Technology, Business Writing Listening for Understanding, Workplace Observation and Teamwork
There are three soft skill assessments:
Fit, Talent and Performance

4. New WorkKeys Portfolio
As of June 1, 2017, with the sunset of these assessments and the launch of the new NCRC assessments and credential, the ACT WorkKeys portfolio will comprise:
ACT WorkKeys Math
ACT WorkKeys Graphic Literacy (formerly Locating Information)
ACT WorkKeys Workplace Documents (formerly Reading for Information)
ACT WorkKeys Career Readiness Certificate (WCRC) (formerly the ACT National Career Readiness Certificate)
ACT WorkKeys Fit
ACT WorkKeys Talent

5. WorkKeys: A Common Language of Workplace Skills
WORKKEYS SYSTEM COMPONENTS
- Skill analysis - Assessments - Training curricula

6. Assessment Component Assess Your Students
WorkKeys assessments measure “real world” workplace skills critical to job success. These skills are valuable for any occupation—skilled or professional—at any level of education, and in any industry.
Criterion-related, standardized, high-stakes
Contextualized for the workplace
Multiple-choice / constructed response
Internet or paper-based delivery
Time allowances: minutes each
Scores based on highest level mastered
~ 15 million WorkKeys administered
Standardized / High Stakes Proctors required

7. Skill Analysis Component
Define Job / Coursework Skills
The WorkKeys skill analysis component offers a concrete way for organizations to define the skills needed for specific jobs or training program curriculum.
Structure: Focus group format consisting of an ACT-authorized job profiler and SMEs
Objective:
Produce a tailored lists of job-related tasks
Rating system to determine criticality of the tasks
Link tasks to the WorkKeys skills
Determination of skill levels through group discussion
Outcomes:
Create a direct link between job and assessments
Customized reports for selection decisions
Develop training / performance management tools

8. Table 1. Entry – Level Skill Requirements for the Job

9. Table 2. Effective Performance Level Skill Requirements for the Job

10. Score interpretation (level and scale scores)
How are WorkKeys scores calculated?
Scores are determined by the total number of items a student answers correctly on the entire assessment.
There is no penalty for guessing.
There are two types of scores available: Level Scores and Scale Scores.
Depending on how the students scores will be used, you may have one or both types of scores on
your score report.

11. What are Level Scores?
Level Scores show what skill level you have. Each level includes a broad range of skills. There are four or five skill levels in each test, and there is a range of raw (number correct) scores assigned to each level.
It is estimated that a person who scores at a given skill level on a specific WorkKeys test will be able to correctly answer at least 80 percent of all the WorkKeys items possible for that level in the item pool.
Each WorkKeys test contains only a sample of all the items that could be written to assess that skill.
The scores are designed to be used with a job profiling process for employee selection and promotion decisions. Skill gap analysis: Test Score vs Profile Score
Level scores are also used to determine the level of NCRC earned (lowest level score of the 3 core assessments.

12. National Career Readiness Certificate
The Certificate is the work-related skills credential, providing objective documentation of employees’ skills that can be accepted nationwide.

14. What is a Scale Score?
Each Level Score can be broken into many smaller units, called Scale Scores, which can show smaller increments of change over time.
In other words, although your Level Score may remain the same if you take the test another time, your Scale Score may improve. Scale Scores are generally used by educational institutions to identify changes in scores from one testing time to another.
They also are used to meet the guidelines of federal programs for funding purposes. Scale Scores are not to be used for hiring or promotion decisions.

15. Data driven indicators for skill specific job requirements
Supported by data from more than 20,000 job skills profiles and rooted in decades of workplace research, WorkKeys assessments are based on situations in the everyday working world. The assessments measure “hard” and “soft” skills, helping:
Individuals—from career seekers to longtime employees—measure their skills and advance their career goals
Educators from high school through college ensure their students are ready for career success
Employers find, hire, and develop quality talent
Workforce and economic developers prepare their workforce to attract and maintain business and industry
Industry associations and advocacy organizations develop valuable skills credentialing systems for a more productive, reliable and profitable workforce

16. Data driven indicators for skill specific job requirements
Four Key Steps to Job Profiling
1. Initial Task List: Profiler creates a task list using national job data and information collected from a company contact person and a tour of the job site.
2. Task Analysis: Profiler meets with workers to customize the task list. The job experts rate each task for importance to ensure the tasks are critical to performance of the job.
3. Skill Analysis: Profiler helps employees link job tasks to WorkKeys skills and skill levels.
4. Documentation: Profiler documents the results in a customized content validity report.

17. Use of WorkKeys Scores Level Scores:
Used for selection, promotion, or other individual high-stakes purposes.
Skill Gap Analyses: Test scores compared to job / curriculum profile standards
Determines level of National Career Readiness Certificate earned
Scale Scores: Use to show growth over time, provide group comparisons in outcome measurement, show evidence of ability to benefit

18. Use of Scale Scores Pretest – Post test Information:
Granular scores are more conducive to show subtle score changes than Level Scores
Federal Program Accountability:
Scale scores are used to show improvement in training programs to meet federal requirements. Originally developed to meet DOE/DOL Common Measures requirements / Ability to Benefit

19. Scale Score Conversion Tables

20. WorkKeys Score Reports / Scale Scores5 80

21. Helping students achieve workplace success

22. WorkKeys in the classroom
ACT WorkKeys Math
ACT WorkKeys Graphic Literacy (formerly Locating Information)
ACT WorkKeys Workplace Documents (formerly Reading for Information)

23. Wrap Up Tony Cortez tony.cortez@act.org ACT Account Executive