The Work Readiness Credential:

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The Work Readiness Credential From Development
to Launch Update to the State Workforce
Investment Board September 21, 2006

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Work Readiness Credential

• A national, portable credential

• defines,
• measures, and
• certifies

Jobseekers have the knowledge, skills, and
abilities they need to succeed in entry-level
work in the 21st Century workplace.
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Unique Advantages of the WRC

• Created through a public-private partnership
  built to specifications of business and workforce
  development system.
• Rigor of design and process ensures the
  assessment will be valid, reliable, and legally
  defensible.
• Assessment will support alignment of all parts of
  workforce investment system.

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WRC Development Partners

• Development Partners Florida, New Jersey, New
  York, Rhode Island, Washington, and District of
  Columbia, Junior Achievement Worldwide.
• Business Partners so far HTF, NAM/CWS, NRFF, US
  Chamber of Commerce/CWP.
• Other National Partners IEL/CWD, NAWB, NGA,
  NIFL.

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The Work Readiness Credential a sure start on
the path to success

• Focuses on a cross-industry foundation of
  work-ready skills not specific to an
  occupation.
• Measures what a person can do not how she or he
  learns.

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The Need for a Credential
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Business Defines the Skills Gap

• A lack of qualified job applicants
• 69 inadequate basic employability skills
• 32 inadequate reading/writing skills
• Skill deficiencies in current employees
• 59 inadequate basic employability
• 32 poor reading/writing skills
• 26 inadequate math skills
• 24 inadequate English language skills
• 22 inability to work in a team environment
• --The Skills Gap 2001, NAM.

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For Employers
A pool of qualified applicants who are ready for
job-specific technical training.
40 of job applicants lack the basic skills
necessary to do the work.
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For Workforce Investment System
Education Training programs not aligned with
labor market needs. No agreement on what its
important for students to know.
A direct link to labor market entry. A common
standard of success means programs focus on
whats important.
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Structure of the Credential
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The Credential Assessment is

• Focused on application of knowledge and skills in
  work-appropriate settings.
• Computer-delivered.
• Modular to make it easy to use and customize to
  local conditions.
• Manageable Total length120-150 minutes.

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The Credential Assessment is

• The first nationally valid work readiness
  certification that will address the full range of
  knowledge and skills critical to competent
  entry-level work.
• Based on Equipped for the Future standards
• Facilitates instruction and learning
• Supports ongoing skill development

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Modules in the Assessment Include

• WR-Read with Understanding 30 min.
• WR-Use Math to Solve Problems 30 min.
• WR-Oral Language Test 30 min.
• WR-Situational Judgment Test 45 min.
• Cooperate with Others
• Resolve Conflict and Negotiate
• Observe Critically
• Solve Problems and Make Decisions
• Take Responsibility for Learning
• Use Math to Solve Problems

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The Credential Will Certify
Jobseekers can carry out essential entry-level
work tasks, including
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Preparing for the WRC
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Development Project Timeline
December 2002 February 2004 Phase 1. Define
EFF Work Readiness Profile March 2004 April
2005 Phase 2. Identify, develop, and pilot-test
assessment instruments. Design credential
delivery system. May 2005 May 2006 Phases 3
and 4. Field-test assessment instruments.
Finalize assessment instruments, guides to
implementation, and supporting materials.
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National Work Readiness Council

• Incorporated in June 2006, in Washington DC not
  for profit status applied for not yet designated
• By laws developed and adopted
• Membership currently includes all investors
  transition to a business-led board starting in
  January 2007

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NWRC How Business is Transacted

• All investors are wearing multiple hats
• All investors serving on multiple teams
• Team members working to their strength
• Practicing what were preaching this team
  consensus work is tough!

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NWRC Subcommittees In Action

• Assessment Committee Led by NY, RI and JA
  investors all with psychometric background
• Marketing Committee Led by WA, with private
  sector marketing experience
• By Laws MOU Led by NY and FL with much
  assistance from appropriate counsel
• Soft Launch Outreach Led by NY RI

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NWRC Activities Underway From April through
September

• Issued an Assessment Delivery Vendor RFP and
  awarded to Castle Worldwide
• Recruited an Executive Director to start in mid
  October (State Board member Dr. Weems was part of
  the interview team!)
• Approved and implementing aspects of a marketing
  plan (developed with funding from NYS)

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Assessment Committee

• Successful transfer of all material from SRI
  (development partner) to Castle
• Development of the Candidate Handbook
• Finalizing work on the cut scores and the
  longitudinal evaluation instruments
• Working with Castle on new item development,
  sample tests and technology issues

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NWRC Marketing Committee

• Designed approved a logo/brand
• Launched the www.workreadiness.com website in
  late August
• Marketing materials being developed and printed
• Presenting at the US Chamber of Commerce Summit
  in TX in early October more events on the
  agenda

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Soft Launch Outreach Committee

• Conducting extensive outreach to non-investor
  states to solicit sites for participation in the
  soft launch
• Primary focus commitment to the goals of the
  Credential!
• Soft launch sites in TX, TN, MN, CT, PA, OR, MA,
  NC

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Soft Launch Objectives

• Test the technology!
• Launch occurred on September 18 and worked as
  planned now need to put stress onto the system
  to test capacity
• Test the delivery of the modules pilots worked
  as planned real time real life needed
• Additional data for predictive validity

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NY Soft Launch Sites

• Long Island Educational Opportunity Center/SUNY
  Farmingdale
• SUNY Brooklyn Educational Opportunity Center
• SUNY Buffalo Educational Opportunity Center
• SUNY Rochester Educational Opportunity Center
• Capital District Educational Opportunity Center
• SUNY Syracuse Educational Opportunity Center
• ? Chautauqua Works

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Soft Launch Will Include Targeted Populations

• Native Americans one site is on tribal land in
  OR
• Recent immigrants/refugees an adult education
  site in St. Paul serving the Hmong is in our mix
• Older Youth Covenant House in DC and Youth Build
  sites in several states
• JA Worldwide sites will feed testing sites with
  their program participants
• Low wage/no wage individuals Dollar General
  Foundation has funded a site in Nashville
  specifically for this purpose

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On the Horizon .

• Identifying ways to include the ex-offender
  population. Many outreach efforts underway,
  logistics being discussed
• Connecting groups seeking to align their work
  readiness programs to the EFF Standards with the
  EFF Center
• Bringing more assessment sites on line for full
  launch

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National Resources http//www.workreadiness.com/
http//www.uschamber.com/icw/strategies/workreadin
esscredential.htm http//eff.cls.utk.edu/workreadi
ness New York State Department of
Labor Margaret.moree_at_labor.state.ny.us karen.colem
an_at_labor.state.ny.us christopher.myers_at_labor.state
.ny.us