FLCC gathering lays groundwork for new job skills program

Work Keys provides a standardized, nationally recognized way to verify job-ready skills.

Educators, economic developers, and workforce leaders from four counties met at the FLCC main campus this week to work on a nagging problem both employers and job seekers face.

How can a hiring manager tell if an applicant has certain basic job skills? Can they follow instructions for giving a discount? Do they understand how to read a floor plan?

For job seekers, how can they show they do, indeed, have such skills?

A representative of ACT Education Corp. leads a Work Keys training at FLCC on Feb. 3. One potential solution is the regional adoption of a system called Work Keys, group of tests that measure skills employers look for in new hires.

Those who pass certain tests earn a National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC). It provides a standardized, nationally recognized way to verify job-ready skills, helping employers assess candidates and helping job seekers prove their abilities. Work Keys skill areas include applied math, workplace documents, applied technology and business writing.

Representatives of Ontario, Seneca, Wayne, and Yates counties gathered to get training in the Work Keys system they hope to have in place later this year.

“Right now, we are looking for interested business and industry leaders willing to support each county’s efforts to become certified in the Work Keys program,” said Kimberle Ward, director of the adult basic education program at FLCC.

This means learning about the tests and credentials so they can incorporate them into their hiring processes. To continue raising awareness, FLCC will host a Regional ACT Work Ready Communities Summit on Tuesday, March 24, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the main campus. Entry is free and includes lunch. Registration is due by March 10.

Examples of skill areas

• Graphic Literacy: This test presents charts and graphs and asks job seekers  to find information or compare trends. For example, a test might present a bar graph of sales and ask: “About how many items were sold in month 12?”  Answers are multiple choice.
• Business Writing: This test gives job seekers a prompt about a workplace problem and asks them to write a clear, organized message that explains a solution or request.

Trainers from ACT Education Corp., the company that also administers the ACT exam for college readiness, used the FLCC session to lay the groundwork for establishing the Work Keys system in the nine counties. This includes training staff and setting up testing centers.

To learn more about the effort to introduce Work Keys to the region, contact kimberle.ward@flcc.edu or (585) 785-1593.