Job Skills Assessment - ACT National Career Readiness Certificate (CRC)

2. What is it?How will it help me?Why do I have to take it?When is it?How is it scored?What to do with my scores?What’s on it?

3. WHAT IS IT? • Job Skills Assessment • Measures real world job skills that employers are looking for • Administered by ACT • Officially called: • “ACT National Career Readiness Certificate” • or “CRC” • or “WorkKeys”

4. HOW WILL IT HELP ME? • Recognized and recommended by thousands of employers and colleges • Credential to offer employers that gives you an advantage in getting a job • Certifies that you have basic job skills in three areas: • Locating Information • Applied Mathematics • Reading for Information

5. WHY DO I HAVE TO TAKE IT • NC requires all seniors who complete a CTE Career Cluster to take the test before graduation • A CTE Career Cluster consists of 4 courses in a certain occupational area. • We have ____ seniors who completed one or more of the clusters below. Which cluster(s) did you complete?

6. Examples of completers • Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources • Agriscience Applications • Horticulture I • Horticulture II • CTE Internship • Architecture & Construction • Core & Sustainable Construction • Carpentry I • Carpentry II • CTE Internship • Arts, A/V Technology & Communications: • Microsoft Word, PowerPoint & Publisher • Digital Media I • Digital Media II • Personal Finance • Health Science • Health Team Relations • Health Science I • Health Science II • Foods I

7. Concentrator letters sent home • A reminder letter will be sent home with each student that is required to take the Workkeys test. • In this letter, you will receive your: • Test date • Test location • Information about workkeys

8. When is it?Review on Ohio Employment Security Commission Website • Review test dates: _____________________ • You will be called to the Career Center computer lab (D building, room 41) on one of these days. You will be testing in groups of 20. We will be starting review testing at the beginning of 2nd period. Everyone will be required to review for the Workkeys test on one of these days through the Ohio Employment Security Commission website: • https://jobseeker.comohiomeansjobs.monster.com/Assessments/Home.aspx • Through this testing software, students are able to see: • Types of questions to expect on REAL workkeys test • You will be able to see which questions you answered correctly • You will be able to see which questions you answered incorrectly and an explanation is given for incorrect answers.

9. WHEN IS IT?ACTualworkkeys test • Test dates: ___________________ • Makeup days: ________________ • We will start promptly at 8:00am each day. • Allow 3 hours • 3 parts, back to back, allowed to leave when finished • Make arrangements now to be off work. If you have a CTE internship 1st period, you must be here at 8:00am on your assigned day. • If you have conflicts with this schedule, see Mrs. West or Mrs. Parris at the end of this session.

10. HOW IS IT SCORED? • 4 Levels of Scores: SMHS GOAL *SMHS has never had a Platinum Credential – Will you be the first?

11. Scoring continued *It is NOT the average…it is by your lowest score. Ex: You score the following: Locating Information – Gold Reading for Information – Gold Applied Mathematics – Bronze YOU WOULD ONLY RECEIVE A BRONZE CERTIFICATE

12. <1% 18% 47% 22% Percentage of U.S. High School Students Earning The Certificate* SMHS GOAL *13% Score below Bronze

13. What To Do With My Scores • Include NCRC information and WorkKeys scores on resumes and job applications • Take NCRC information to job interviews • Inform employers of your demonstrated skill level as it relates to job requirements

14. www.myworkkeys.com • Make scores and NCRC available to employers • Keep track of WorkKeys scores • For more information, go to: www.act.org/certificate/order.html

15. Job Qualification of Certificate Holders (Essential Foundational Skills) Qualifies for 16% of jobs Qualifies for 99% of jobs Qualifies for 93% of jobs Qualifies for 67% of jobs Source: ACT JobPro Data 2006-2010

16. WHAT’S ON IT? • 3 Sections: • Locating Information • Applied Mathematics • Reading for Information • Different Level of Questions: • Level 3 = Bronze Level – easiest questions – everybody should get these correct • Level 4 = Silver Level – a little tougher, but still easy questions that everyone should be able to figure out • Level 5 = Gold Level – tougher questions that require more thought and problem solving skills, may require 2 or 3 steps to complete or answer • Level 6 = Platinum Level – the toughest questions requiring critical thinking skills

17. Locating Information • 38 word problems (55 minutes) • Each question uses one or more graphics (1-9) = Level 3 - Bronze (10-18) = Level 4 - Silver (19-28) = Level 5 - Gold (29-38) = Level 6 - Platinum

18. Types of graphics • Forms • Tables and charts • Graphs • Diagrams

19. Applied Mathematics • 33 word problems (55 minutes) • Math  real-world situations (1-6) = Level 3 - Bronze (7-13) = Level 4 - Silver (14-20) = Level 5 - Gold (21-27) = Level 6 - Platinum (28-33) = Level 7 – no designation – you have scored the highest this test measures

20. Math – Tips & Tricks • Break it down into small pieces • RTFQ (read the full question) • Ignore extra info • Pace yourself • You’re calculator is only as smart as you are! • Use the formulas provided!

21. Math Topics • Fractions, Decimals and Percent's • Rates and Averages • Proportions and Recipes (Sample) • Geometry • Conversions

22. Reading for Information • 33 questions (55 minutes) (1-16) = Level 3 - Bronze (17-20) = Level 4 - Silver (21-24) = Level 5 - Gold (25-28) = Level 6 - Platinum (29-33) = Level 7 – no designation – you have scored the highest this test measures

23. RI – Passage Types • Memo • Announcement • Notice • Emails • Steps/Procedures • Policy • Regulations/Legal Regulations

24. QUESTIONS? Traci West • SMHS, Career Development Coordinator twest@jcpsmail.org Missy Parris • SMHS, CTE Administrative Assistant mparris@jcpsmail.org Angie Dills • JCPS, CTE Director adills@jcpsmail.org