Rhonda Mize Academic & Employment Services Coordinator Choctaw Nation Career Development

1. OKCRC WorkKeys CR101/KeyTrain --For CareerTech Students Rhonda Mize Academic & Employment Services Coordinator Choctaw Nation Career Development

2. Welcome to CareerTech! Impact students, families, communities, regions, and Oklahoma! Learn new acronyms! Share info and learn from individuals across OK’s awesome system! Be a part of developing Oklahoma’s workforce pipeline!

3. Choctaw Nation Career Development www.choctawcareers.com • Program Purpose • To facilitate education & training which leads to industry recognized certifications or licensures and self-sustaining employment for Choctaw tribal members • Services • Career Counseling & Exploration • Academic Assessment & Enhancement • WorkKeys & Career Readiness Certification (CRC) • Education & Training • Employment Services

5. Get Certified…. It Pays!Oklahoma’s Career Readiness Certificate • OKCRC • Powered by ACT WorkKeys®, an Initiative of the Governor’s Council for Workforce and Economic Development In today’s global economy, finding and keeping a job requireshigher skill levels than ever before. Employers want workerswith documented skills based on “real world” experience.WorkKeys assessments for the Career Readiness Certificate(CRC) measure core skills employers deem critical for job success.

6. Governor’s Council for Workforce and Economic Development (GCWED) • Oklahoma’s adoption of WorkKeys, KeyTrain, and the Career Readiness Certification (CRC) as a credentialing system and workforce development tool -- 2006 • Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education • Oklahoma Department of Commerce • Oklahoma Department of Human Services • Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services • Oklahoma Employment Security Commission • Oklahoma Office of Disability Concerns • Oklahoma State Department of Education • Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education

7. Workforce Development Tool Kit Job Analysis = WorkKeys Job Profiles Assessments = WorkKeys Assessments Training & Curriculum = Career Ready 101 / KeyTrain Certification = OKCRC Research & Analytics = CRC Research Committee

8. ACT WorkKeys WorkKeys® is a job skills assessment system that helps employers select, hire, train, develop, and retain a high-performance workforce. • WorkKeys provides a “common language” between the education community and employers. • WorkKeys defines skills gaps and acts as a guide to appropriate up-skilling.

9. WorkKeys Skill Gaps 6 Skills Gap 5 5 5 Skills Gap 4 4 4 4 4 4 Individual Results 3 3 3 3 3 3 Job Profile Applied Mathematics Reading for Information Locating Information By comparing the job profile and individual assessment results, skills gaps can be identified

10. WorkKeys® Foundational Skills Applied Technology Observation Business Writing Listening Teamwork Core CRC Assessments: Applied Mathematics Locating Information Reading for Information

11. Matching the Skills The skills identified through WorkKeys testing are valuable for any occupation—skilled and professional—and at any level of education. Profiling the tasks in a specific job identifies the skills needed on the job. If there are any gaps in the necessary skill level for the job, the WorkKeys assessments identify the training needs.

12. KeyTrain Helps to Fill Skills Gaps • KeyTrain provides self-paced curriculum to help individuals fill their skill gaps 6 6 5 5 5 5 KeyTrain 4 4 4 4 4 4 Individual 3 3 3 3 3 3 Job Profile Applied Mathematics Reading for Information Locating Information

13. KeyTrain / Career Ready 101 • The most effective tool for raising WorkKeys skills. • Online – Site license basis • Prescriptive pre-tests • Core curriculum - Lessons for upskilling • Career Skills - Soft skills • Recently acquired by ACT • Access through various agencies http://www.keytrain.com/KeyTrain_Solutions.htm

14. Locating Information In this example, there are three tables you must consider in order to answer the question. The information you need may be in two or more tables. First, decide what information the question is asking for. Then find the information you need to base your answer on. Level 5 Extracting Data

15. Random Question #1 Applied Math (3-7) Locating Information (3-6) Reading for Information (3-7) What are the 3 “Core” WorkKeys Assessments that must be taken to earn a CRC?

16. CR101 or KeyTrain What’s the difference? Best kept secret

17. Purpose & Value for CT Students • The correlation between KeyTrain and WorkKeys • Career Ready 101™ is a comprehensive career training course that helps you design a program based on your resources. It is an integrated approach to exploring careers and their skill requirements, building workplace skills using KeyTrain remediation, and creating life literacy with such skills as financial awareness and job searching. With its flexible online or instructor-led options, Career Ready 101 is a powerful way to set up learners for success in all areas of career readiness. • Work Readiness System Video: http://www.act.org/workforce/workreadiness.html • Refresher lessons to enhance workforce skill levels • Preparation for career success & obtaining the CRC

18. Score Comparisons • WorkKeys Occupational Profiles: Average WorkKeys Scores Needed by Job Title: http://www.act.org/workkeys/skillsearch.html?q=A • KeyTrain Skill Match Match WorkKeys scores to O*NET Job Database http://profiles.keytrain.com/profile_search/ • WorkKeys Profiles Quick Reference Make your own list of frequently used scores

19. Assists students in seeing the value of building their skill and earning a CRC at the level recommended for their occupation.

20. Benefits to Students Motivates skill development Competition for higher CRC levels Recognition for achievement Confidence in skills Preparation for success in the workforce

21. CRC Privilege & Benefit • The CRC is a NATIONALLY recognized workforce credential • Enhances competitiveness in job market • OK employer DO use the CRC • http://www.okcareertech.org/cac/workkeys/EmployerPartners_new.html • Addition to the Resume & Portfolio • Set your own WorkKeys testing minimum levels (ours is 5-5-5 in KT)

22. Competitive Spirit • Use students’ competitive spirit • “Advertise” the high score on the pretests from last year’s class • “Advertise” the number of Gold CRCs from last year’s class • Start a competition between your T&I programs to have the highest number of CRCs or the most Gold CRCs • Always emphasize that KeyTrain is the vehicle to move students to higher levels on the CRC

23. “Profile” Your Programs • HVAC WorkKeys Profile: AM=5 LI=5 RI=4 • KeyTrain Req. Levels: AM=6 LI=6 RI=5 • Use Occupational Profiles/O*NET Skills to match to skills learned in the program • Involve instructors • Involve employers

24. Help me Remember!!! • KeyTrain/ Career Ready 101 (CR101) • The pre-assessment & TRAINING tool • Preparation for WorkKeys • WorkKeys • ACT assessment of WORKPLACE skills • KeyTrain/CR101 + WorkKeys = Career Readiness Certification (CRC)

25. Core Assessments for CRC Applied Math Max. 7 Locating Information Max. 6 Reading for Information Max. 7 High-stakes test – 55 minutes each – Minimum score 3

26. Certification Levels • Platinum—awardedto those who score at or above a level 6 in each of the core areas. • Gold—awarded to those who score at or above a level 5 in each of the core areas. • Silver—awarded to those who score at or above a level 4 in each of the core areas. • Bronze—awarded to those who score at or above a level 3 in each of the core areas.

27. Choctaw CRC Initiative CRC Incentive Awards Platinum = $400 Gold = $300 Silver = $200 Bronze = $100

30. Random Question #2 KeyTrain / Career Ready 101 What system is used for pretesting and upskilling prior to taking the WorkKeys tests?

31. The Process • Work Ready Communities • Employment for Citizens • Economic Development Tool

32. Job Seeker Benefits • Builds confidence that skills meet the needs of employers • Determines skill improvement and training needs • Improves opportunities for career advancement and change • Increases chances that you will be hired • Provides skill upgrade training

33. Employer Benefits “Gain a competitive edge, hire smarter.” •Decreases training time • Decreases production errors • Reduces turnover, overtime and waste while increasing morale • Takes the guesswork out of your selection decisions • Improves efficiency of your training practices ** meets ISO 9000 standards

34. OK CRC Employers • VF Jeanswear – Wrangler, Seminole • OG+E Electric Services, Muskogee • PanPacific, Broken Bow • Other Employers (map): http://www.okcareertech.org/cac/workkeys/champions.htm • Case Studies • Testimonials

35. WorkKeys Job Profiling • Why? • Skills Match • Reduced Turnover, Increase ROI, etc. • http://www.act.org/workkeys/profiling/ • Who? • Certified ACT WorkKeys Profilers in OK • Susan Kuzmic, Oklahoma Department of CareerTech skuzm@okcareertech.org 405.717.4923 Office -- 405.312.0887 Mobile

36. WorkKeys Job Profiling • How? • Profiler performs in-dept analysis of particular job • Uses a focus group process to gather job task and WorkKeys skill information from job incumbents • Provides a report with a customized task list and skill levels related to specific work examples • Key Steps to Job Profiling: • Creation of an Initial Task List • Task Analysis • Skill Analysis • Documentation

37. WorkKeys Job Profiling • Costs? • Time – The time required to complete a profile depends on the complexity of the job, the number of skills profiled, & the availability of the subject matter experts. • Some Free through OK Dept. of Commerce & Governor’s Council • Typical charge: $2000 • Comparison – what does it cost your company to hire and train 1 new employee?

38. Using WorkKeys /CRC in Hiring • RECOGNIZE the CRC when its attached to a resume or presented by a potential employee. • http://www.act.org/workkeys/analysis/occup.html • REQUEST the CRC from all job applicants and start including “CRC Certified Preferred” in your hiring announcements. • REQUIRE the CRC when hiring or evaluating current employees for jobs that are profiled by an ACT authorized WorkKeys job profiler.

39. CompanyBenefits • Improved hiring procedures • Reduced turnover • Reduced training costs • Increased productivity • Higher employee morale

40. Pan Pacific Products Est. 1995  Before 2008, turnover was 96 percent at entry level. Half of the new hires were let go during the 60-day probationary period or quit within a year. Now, after three years of using WorkKeys profiles and Career Readiness Certificates during the hiring process, turnover is 16 percent. We now require it. This is just good business. Now, when we hire five employees, we keep five. And, they move up.  Chyrel Fortner, Human Resources Manager Pan Pacific Products, Broken Bow

41. Career Readiness Employer Partners Recognize-employer is aware of what the CRC measures and indicates about the skills of the potential job candidate Request-employer includes “CRC preferred” in job postings and classified ads Require-employer has a WorkKeys job profile in place for specific job position

42. okworkkeys.org

43. myworkkeys.com

44. OKCRC Today 90,152 CRCs 9th in the nation and 3rd CRCs per capita 120 WorkKeys® assessment sites 220 Profiles completed 7 ACT® Authorized Job Profilers Over 120 Career Readiness Employer Partners Source of data for Oklahoma’s Certified Work Ready Communities

45. Random Question #3 Competitive advantage in job search Confidence in skills Recognition for achievement What is a benefit that a CareerTech student might gain by earning a CRC?

46. Stand Out in the Crowd Portable credential nationally recognized that verifies to employers that an individual has essential core employability skills. Facilitates job placement, retention and advancement in our mobile society Confidence that your skills meet the needs of employers Road map for skill improvement, training, and educational needs Improved opportunities for career changes Jeny Rogers, Shipping Team Leader Pelco Products, Inc., Edmond Ashley Morton, Dynamic Order Picker with Ring Scanner VF Jeanswear, Seminole Distribution Center

47. WorkKeys Test Sites FREE to all Oklahomans Workforce OK Offices (OESC) Almost all Technology Center campuses Choctaw Nation Career Development Offices State Wide Testing Sites: http://www.okcareertech.org/cac/workkeys/Assessment_sites/OK_Assessment_Sites.htm

48. ACE Alternative EOIs English II and English III WorkKeys® Reading for Information and WorkKeys® Business Writing Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II WorkKeys® Applied Mathematics

49. Comparing Oklahoma’s Examinees to U.S. Examinees

50. “Oklahoma’s Premier Work Ready Region” • 15 Counties included: Choctaw Atoka Haskell Bryan Latimer Coal Leflore Johnston McCurtain McIntosh Pittsburg Hughes Pushmataha Pontotoc Marshall The nation’s largest Work Ready Community! http://www.choctawcareers.com/wrr.html Work Ready Communities: http://www.okcommerce.gov/Community-Resources/Work-Ready-Communities