1. Barbara Bolin, Ph.D. Executive Director Career Readiness Consortium at Indiana University 804-310-2552 bolinb@earthlink.net www.careerreadinesscertificate.org The Career Readiness Certificate

2. “ Despite building elaborate growth models for 20 years, economists have failed to prove that education and training significantly raise a country’s long-term growth.” Facts of Life... “ In 2004, Canadian research found that, if you measure actual skills rather than educational qualifications, human capital becomes a strong predictor of economic growth.” Counting Heads, The Economist August 2004

3. Data Compiled by the USDOL, Occupational Outlook Handbook 2002 - 2003

4. Employers have TWO major concerns with potential and incumbent employees: 1.Poor work ethic How do you: a)legally assess, and b) train to overcome deficiencies? 2. Lack of basic learning skills, i.e. TRAINABILITY for rapidly changing technologies and careers The CRC was designed to address this issue, and to be the basis for expanded credentials for specific industry sectors and careers

5. Industry Sector 1 O1O1 O2O2 O3O3 O4O4 F F F F F F O1O1 O2O2 O3O3 Industry Sector 2 F F = Foundation Skills O = Occupation-Specific Skills Readiness skills

6. The New World Realities Employers need TRAINABLE employees Credentials are the new currency of employment Traditional approaches to education are fading Business processes are transportable and will follow skill sets and trainability

7. WorkKeys Skill Assessments Criterion referenced; Not Normative;Criterion referenced; Not Normative; Work-related, Timed, SecureWork-related, Timed, Secure Certify Skill LevelsCertify Skill Levels Paper-Pencil, Video,Paper-Pencil, Video, Audio, Spanish, and Computer- Audio, Spanish, and Computer-Based Meets EEOC GuidelinesMeets EEOC Guidelines Legally defensibleLegally defensible Used in Any CombinationUsed in Any Combination Two Forms (for pre/post testing)Two Forms (for pre/post testing)

8. 2006 WorkKeys update: 12,200 profiles across the country 12,000,000 individual assessments Database of profiles shows >85% use RFI, AM, and LI assessments

9. Career Readiness Certificate Levels and Employability Bronze Level –Core employability skills for approximately 30% of the jobs Silver Level - Core employability skills for approximately 65% of the jobs Gold Level - Core employability skills for approximately 90% of the jobs

10. Employers, workforce development professionals and governments in at least 20 states agree on the following: 1) There is a need for a portable skills credential based on a common language, easily understood by employers, educators, and citizens; 2) This common language should be WorkKeys®; 3) The three WorkKeys® assessments that should form the basis of the credential are Applied Mathematics, Locating Information, and Reading For Information; 4) The credential should be multi-level; 5) The scores for each level should be 3's for Bronze, 4's for Silver, and 5's for Gold. (Note: KY and IN issue only the Silver and Gold levels) National Situation

11. Skill AreaBronzeSilverGold Reading for Information 345 Applied Mathematics 345 Locating Information 345 Career Readiness Certificate Levels

12. Applied Mathematics: Level 4 skills are: Perform single-step basic operations, such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, using whole numbers Change a number from one form to another, using whole numbers, fractions, decimals and percentages Add and subtract negative numbers as well as positive numbers Perform one or two mathematical operations, such as addition, subtractions, multiplication or division on several positive or negative numbers Add commonly known fractions, decimals or percentages, and three fractions that share a common denominator Calculate averages, simple ratios, proportions and rates using whole numbers and decimals Silver Certificate: What Can A Person Do?

13. Gold Certificate: What Can A Person Do? Locating Information: Level 5 skills are: Summarize and/or compare information and trends in a single graphic Summarize and/or compare information and trends among more than one workplace graphic, such as a charge slip and an invoice showing related information; in order to accomplish this, the examinee must determine the relationship among the graphics Summarize and/or compare information and trends in a single graphic Summarize and/or compare information and trends among more than one workplace graphic, such as a bar chart and a data table showing related information; in order to accomplish this, the examinee must sort through distracting information

14. CRC deployed Kentucky (5795) Indiana (20,452) Virginia (5806) Louisiana Missouri North Carolina Oklahoma Alabama Tennessee 9 States CRC in progress Kansas North Dakota South Carolina (1000) Wyoming District of Columbia West Virginia Iowa New Mexico Washington Nevada Ohio 11 States Interested in CRC Colorado Michigan California Delaware Maryland Rhode Island Illinois Montana Minnesota Oregon Idaho Mississippi Florida New York Alaska Arizona Nebraska Arkansas Georgia 19 States CRC Consortium: February 2006