The Work Readiness Credential: From Development to Launch

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

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. Work Readiness Credential 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.

6. The Need for a Credential

7. 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.

8. Work Readiness Credential 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.

9. Work Readiness Credential For Workforce Investment System Education & Training programs not aligned with labor market needs. No agreement on what it’s important for students to know. A direct link to labor market entry. A common standard of success means programs focus on what’s important.

10. Structure of the Credential

11. 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.

12. 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

13. 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

14. The Credential Will Certify: Jobseekers can carry out essential entry-level work tasks, including…

16. Preparing for the WRC

27. 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.

28. 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

29. 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 we’re preaching: this team consensus work is tough!

30. 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

31. 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)

32. 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

33. 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

34. 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

35. 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

36. 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

37. 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

38. 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

39. For More Information: National Resources http://www.workreadiness.com/ http://www.uschamber.com/icw/strategies/workreadinesscredential.htm http://eff.cls.utk.edu/workreadiness New York State Department of Labor Margaret.moree@labor.state.ny.us karen.coleman@labor.state.ny.us christopher.myers@labor.state.ny.us