AG CONFERENCE PRESENTATION

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Kansas WORKReady! Certificate Presentation to
KCCE KEDA September 13-14, 2007
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Goals for Today

• Where we have been
• Where we are
• Some successes some challenges
• Where we are going how you can help

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Chamber leadership w/ Workforce

• Formed a Workforce Center Business Advisory Board
• Membership businesses and employers only
• Guidance moving to Business Services from
  Social Services
• Finding candidates for openings rather than
  jobs for people

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Top Critical Needs

• Chamber-led focus groups by industry revealed the
  most critical need -
• Basic skills to do the job
• WorkKeys by ACT, Inc. provides best answer to
  assist with basic skills needed in
• all work places

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Seeking a common language

• Employers say, New hires need better math
• Educators say, How much more math?
• Businesses say, We need better reading skills in
  our employees
• Workforce system says, How much better?
• An endless discussion..

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• Developed by ACT, Inc.
• Measures transferable, work-place skills
• Skills can be communicated to business using a
  Career Readiness Certificate
• 42 other states are developing similar
  certificates using WorkKeys

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WORKReady Certificate

• Regional task force
• Piloted with area schools
• Key partners
• Developed certificate design and brochure
• Some successes and some challenges

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States Affiliated with NationalCareer Readiness
Certificate

• Initiated
• Alabama
• Indiana
• Kansas
• Louisiana
• Missouri
• New Mexico
• North Carolina
• Oklahoma
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Virginia
• West Virginia

• In Process
• Colorado
• Michigan
• Ohio
• Florida
• Georgia

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Advantages to Companies

• New employee Improved Skills
• Companies set the standards
  Reduced company
  training/recruitment space
• Reduced company training time
• Reduced company training personnel cost

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Kansas WORKReady! Certificate

• Certificate documents skills in
• Applied Mathematics
• Locating Information
• Reading for Information
• Employers get meaningful evidence of work skills
  in common language that business understands

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• What are the levels needed for jobs profiled by
  WorkKeys in key skill areas?
• Percentage of Jobs
• Work Skill 30 70 90
• Applied Mathematics 3 4 5
• (Range 3 7)
• Reading for Information 3 4 5
• (Range 3 7)
• Locating Information 3 4 5
• (Range 3 6)

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Sample Questions

• Level 3 Locating Information

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Sample Questions

• Level 6 Locating Information

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Three
Components
Job Profiling What skills and skill
levels are needed in todays jobs/occupations? Sk
ill Assessments What work skills and skill levels
does an individual currently have? Need
Determination How can any skill gaps be addressed
in education training programs?
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Certificate wraps it together

• Job Skills Assessment System
• Assessments
• Job Analysis
• Training

WorkKeys System
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WorkKeys - Skills Development

• Web-based skills review
• WIN (www.W-WIN.com)
• Key Train (www.keytrain.com)
• Assists job candidates and employees
• enhance their skill levels
• prepare for promotion
• continue a career path

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Kansas WORKReady!

• Kansas WORKReady! helps employers
• Staff key positions with qualified employees
• Reduce expenses related to
• Recruiting
• Selection
• Hiring
• Promotion
• Training
• Turnover

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Kansas WORKReady!

• Kansas WORKReady! can
• Provide tangible proof of workplace skills
• Be used as an additional tool for hiring
• Determine a training program which may result in
  increased skills and earnings
• Be used as a portable credential
• Standardized skill level requirements-you know
  what you are getting!

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Kansas WORKReady!

• Over 70 companies in the Junction City-Manhattan
  Area have endorsed Kansas WORKReady! including
• Footlocker
• Wal-Mart
• Radio Shack
• American Building Systems
• Grocery Supply Company
• Many Kansas City area companies using WorkKeys

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Kansas WORKReady! Partners

• Public workforce system
• Community Colleges and Technical Schools
• High schools and Adult Education statewide
• Kansas Department of Corrections
• High School diploma completion programs
• Social Rehabilitative Services
• Kansas Chambers and Economic Development

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Next Steps

• As a Business owner or employer, please join us
• Endorse the WORKReady! Certificate
• Ask job candidates for a WORKReady! Certificate
• Include WORKReady! Certificate on your
  application, in your job ads
• Inform other business leaders of the value of
  Kansas WORKReady! Certificate

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For more information

• Contact your Regional Director or workforce
  center representative
• Or
• Kathy Hund
• Kansas Department of Commerce
• [phone] khund_at_kansascommerce.com

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• Lyle Butler [phone] lyle_at_manhattan.org
  
• Gerry Winters [phone] gwinters_at_watc.edu
• Marv Duncan [phone] mduncan_at_sedgwick.gov