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WorkKeys Assessments

WorkKeys Assessments

Published or Revised September 19, 2024

WorkKeys assessments measure "real world" skills employers believe are critical to job success. These skills are valuable for any occupation — skilled or professional — and at any level of education. The National Career Readiness Certificate is based on ACT’s world-renowned WorkKeys® assessments, which remain the only proven system for linking job skills with workplace success.

Each assessment offers varying levels of difficulty. The levels build on each other, incorporating the skills assessed at the previous levels. The complexity increases as the quantity and/or density of the information increases. Your WorkKeys® scores will determine what level of certification you are eligible to earn. PLEASE NOTE: WorkKeys assessments are only given on the Paris campus in the Alford Center.

National Career Readiness Certificate:

The National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) program is composed of three WorkKeys® assessments: (1) Applied Mathematics, (2) Graphic Literacy, and (3) Workplace Documents. Each assessment takes approximately 55 minutes via the internet or paper/pencil. They are available in both English and Spanish. The National Career Readiness Certificate, issued by ACT, is a portable, evidence-based credential that measures essential workplace skills and is a reliable predictor of workplace success. This credential is used across all sectors of the economy and measures the following skills:

  • Problem solving
  • Critical thinking
  • Reading and using written, work-related text
  • Applying information from workplace documents to solve problems
  • Applying mathematical reasoning to work-related problems
  • Setting up and performing work-related mathematical calculations
  • Locating, synthesizing, and applying information that is presented graphically
  • Comparing, summarizing, and analyzing information presented in multiple related graphics

The NCR Certificate is an easily understood, conveniently attained, and universally valued workforce credential. Because The NCR Certificate validates that an individual has certain essential skills important across a range of jobs, employers, career seekers, economic developers, and educators can use The Certificate as a common language to improve the quality of the workforce. The skill levels are meaningful to career seekers, educators, and employers.

Cost: WorkKeys (three tests) $56, WorkKeys (four tests) $70, $22 per section to retest.