1. What is WorkKeys®?
WorkKeys® is an industry-driven system of job profiling, assessment and instructional support that helps businesses identify the skills and skill levels employees must have to perform jobs effectively. It is a program of ACT, Inc., a not-for-profit organization that specializes in assessment and research.
"If you're in business and you're not using this program, you're falling behind,"
"We now have a tool to help our people improve their individual performance. I'm doing this because it makes good business sense.
"We see the education of the workforce as the absolute key to being competitive in the future. We're doing this so we can maintain our competitive advantage."
Bob Wayman
Plant Manager, Unilever
Owensboro, KY
2. What is the Kentucky Employability Certificate (KEC)?
A portable credential based upon the WorkKeys® assessments from ACT Inc. The KEC assesses in three different skill areas:
Applied Mathematics
Reading for Information
Locating Information
3. Why were these three skill areas chosen?
These skill areas were decided upon because they were the most utilized assessments in the Occupational profile database at ACT, which currently contains about 10,000 profiles. For a sample of the occupational profiles, go to, (http://www.act.org/workkeysprofiles/occuprof/index.html)
4. What are the different levels of the KEC?
There are three different levels to the KEC:
Gold - Candidate must score at a level 5 for the skill areas of Applied Mathematics, Reading for Information and Locating Information. If the candidate has these skill levels, they would qualify for 80% of the jobs contained in the ACT Occupational Profile Database
Silver - Candidate must score at a level 4 for the skill areas of Applied Mathematics, Reading for Information and Locating Information. If the candidate has these skill levels, they would qualify for 50% of the jobs contained in the ACT Occupational Profile Database
KCTCS Occupational Specific - This is based upon occupational profiles that have been conducted by the Kentucky Community and Technical College System. KCTCS has conducted over 190 profiles for 72 occupational areas. For a look at the Occupational areas that have been profiled go to: http://unity.kctcs.edu/docushare/dsweb/View/Collection-2494
5. Who endorses the Kentucky Employability Certificate?
The KEC is endorsed by:
Governor Ernie Fletcher
The Kentucky Workforce Investment Board
ACT Inc.
Kentucky Community and Technical College System
Kentucky Chamber of Commerce
Council on Postsecondary Education
Associated Industries of Kentucky
Kentucky Industrial Development Council
Kentucky Education Cabinet
Kentucky Adult Education
Kentucky Society for Human Resource Management
Kentucky State District Council of Carpenters
6. How do I get a Kentucky Employability Certificate?
To gain a KEC, the interested party must first take a WorkKeys® Assessment in the areas of Reading for Information, Locating Information, and Applied Mathematics.
If the score isn't at the appropriate levels, there is Targeted Instruction available to help raise skill levels as needed.
When scores reach the appropriate levels, a KEC will be presented to the interested party.
For employers who would like to have the assessments and instruction specific to their business, Job Profiling can be performed
7. Who is currently benefiting from the WorkKeys® system and the KEC?
The KEC is new, but thousands of companies across the United States and Canada have experienced the benefits of WorkKeys®. A sample of Kentucky employers who are using WorkKeys® and the KEC include:
Owensboro Mercy Health System-Owensboro
Trus Joist- Hazard
Paragon Door- Louisville
Eagle Manufacturing- Florence
Alcan Aluminum- Henderson
Kimberly Clark- Owensboro
DHL- Boone
To find out if a specific company in your community accepts the KEC, contact your local CED/Adult Ed Person
8. How does it benefit employers?
With the KEC, employers can hire with confidence knowing that an employee or job seeker with a certificate has demonstrated mastery of job related skills.
9. How does it benefit an employee/job seeker?
With a KEC, an employee/job seeker can demonstrate their skill levels to employers in a common language that is easily understood.
10. What does it cost to get a KEC?
All 3 assessments: Math, Reading and Locating Information $35.00
KY Employability Certificate $10.00
Total $45.00
WorkKeys® and the KEC are a free service provided to Adult Education Learning Center Students.
11. Do higher skills mean higher salaries?
Yes. Studies show that jobs requiring higher skills in math, locating information and reading pay higher entry-level salaries. In fact, skill levels appear to show a stronger correlation to pay than education levels. By increasing their skill levels, individuals increase their opportunities for higher salaries.
12. Are these tests designed for low-paying jobs?
Not at all. The largest and fastest growing area of employers' interest in WorkKeys® is for professional, technical and managerial jobs requiring higher-than-average education levels. The second largest category is for skilled trade jobs. U.S. employers have commissioned WorkKeys® job profiles for more than 7,000 jobs, ranging from accountant to automotive technician and from welder to webmaster.
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