Complimentary Webinar Series - Alaska SHRM State Council

1/31/2014Complimentary Webinar SeriesDownload copy of slideshttp://alaska.shrm.org/slidesTo Troubleshoot webinar, go ��Pre‐approved1 General CreditThe link to the certificate will be provided at the end1

1/31/2014Learn how theprogram can help youJanuary 31, 2014The Alaska Career Ready (ACR) program iscredentialing program that tests and scoresjob skills. It is a joint effort between theDepartments of Labor and WorkforceDevelopment and Education and EarlyDevelopment that allows students and adultjob-seekers to: Evaluate their readiness for work, college, and occupational training Improve the basic skills valued by employers and educatorsACR is sponsored by the State of Alaska so there is no cost for employers orjobseekers to participate in the program2

1/31/2014ACR Serves 4 main stakeholders:EEDDOLWDEducatorsEmployersStudentsJob SeekersEmployers are using the ACR to assess their potential and existing employeesand train them as well.Job seekers are taking the tests to apply for jobs.Alaskan high school students are required to take the WorkKeys tests intheir junior year at their school.Provide Educators & Employers A means to assess the studentand job seekers current skills andmethods to improve Increase the number of qualifiedapplicants Help connect the right people inthe right positions Give employers a competitiveedgeo Reducing turnovero Reduces employee trainingcostso Saves hiring time and moneyo Increasing productivity andprofitability Hire the right person the first timeProvide Students & Job Seekers Career Information- whatfoundational academic skillsare required for variouscareers Assessment- to measure skilllevels Instruction- Instruction toenhance skills Credential- opportunity todocument skills by earning aNational Career ReadinessCertificate3

1/31/2014 Developed by the ACTCorporation Job skills measurement system Measures “real-world”foundational skills critical to jobsuccess Skills needed for any occupationskilled or professional- and at anylevel of education4

1/31/2014Four key steps:1.Develop initial job task list (or if curriculum profile, a learningobjectives list) – tour, job shadow, collect samples – how the task isaccomplished “by ”2.Task Analysis with focus group of 10% representativesample of job incumbents – edit, rate and sort list for Importance3.Skill Analysis with focus group – links the job tasks to theWorkKeys skills and levels. Profiler reads and explains skill levels.A WorkKeys skill level is made up of the characteristics of thestimulus (problem, video, graphic, reading passage, etc.) and whatthe employee has to do with it in the workplace.4.Customized report with skill level results, examplesprovided by the focus group and final task list.By comparing the job profile and individual assessment results, skillsgaps can be identified65Skills Gap55Skills Gap444444IndividualResults333333Job ProfileAppliedMathematicsReading forInformationLocatingInformation5

1/31/2014KeyTrain provides self-paced curriculum to help individuals filltheir skill gaps6655KeyTrainIndividual55444444333333Job ProfileAppliedMathematicsHiringReading forInformationTrainingAdvancementIdentify the mostimportant tasks ofthe job and linkthem to the criticalworkplace skills andlevels to screen for.Students and newemployees will havethe right skills to besuccessful intargeted training.Refine applicantpool:Reduce hiring andtraining costs forjobs.Quickly identifyqualified applicants.EEO CompliantProcess.LocatingInformationIdentify skill gapspinpoint specificareas for employeeimprovement.The NCRC and/orother WorkKeysskills can beincorporated intoexisting hiringand trainingpractices.RetentionBuild student oremployeeconfidence.Reduce turnover.Increaseproductivity andprofitability.6

1/31/2014TrainingHiringRefine applicantpool:Quickly identifyapplicants who madethe effort to earn theNCRC.They tend to havemore drive andwillingness to learn.Employees haveidentifiable skills tobuild uponAdvancementEmployees moretrainable and morelikely to succeed.Compare applicant’sNCRC to ACT’sOccupationalDatabase to get anidea of their skills.NCRC and/or otherWorkKeys skills canbe incorporated intoexisting hiring andtraining practices.RetentionBuild employeeconfidenceand see reducedrates of turnover.Increaseproductivity andprofitability.Reduce hiring andtraining costs overtime as moreemployees earn theNCRC.CompanyWorkKeys Profiled Job,Reading MathEntryOther SkillsEntryAK DOLWDEmployment SecuritySpecialist I (ESSI) at Job Centers4433 TeamworkAK DOLWDESS I – Job Developers4444 TeamworkAK DOWLDESSI – Unemployment Insurance4443 TeamworkSOAAccounting Clerk444SOAOffice Assistant I333AJEATT IBEWYear 1 Inside Wireman Apprentice656AADSADirect Support Staff in Adult DayServices443-BusWr4 - TWJATC P&PYear 1 Plumbers and PipefittersApprentice446 – FBX5 – ANCH5 - JNUGCIField Service Technician443Blood Bank ofAlaskaPhlebotomist443Breeze InCashier4434 – Listening4 - ObservationWorkplaceObservation - 27

1/31/2014CompanyWorkKeys Profiled Job,Reading MathEntryOther SkillsEntryGreens CreekBackfiller44LU - 2WorkplaceObservation - 3AATCA Sheet MetalWorkersYear 1 Sheet Metal WorkerApprentice - Fairbanks446WasillaChiropractic Ctr.Chiropractic Assistant34MaritimeHydraulics 4/12Warehouse Mechanic344WorkplaceObservation 2DOLWD 8/12Employment Specialist II CaseManager Work Services444Listening forUnderstanding 2MPTS 5/12Well Control Instructor446Listening forUnderstanding 3Listening forUnderstanding–2MPTS 5/12Well Control Class446Mat-Su Tool Repair5/12Parts Clerk344Juneau Alliance forMental Health2/13Behavioral Health Associate44N/AWorkplaceObservation 3,Listening forUnderstanding 2CompanyWorkKeys Profiled Job,Reading MathEntryOther SkillsEntryMarlow Manor6/13Residential Living Assistant44N/AWorkplaceObservation 3,Listening forUnderstanding 3Writing 3DOC, Div. ofOffenderHabilitation - 5/13ABE GED Instructor/TutorContracted546USPS Wasilla,Chugiak, Juneau6/13Postal Support Employee813 - Mail Processing Clerk443USPS Wasilla,Chugiak, Juneau6/13Postal Support Employee814 Retail Clerk444Anchorage SheetMetal WorkersJATC- 6/13Year 1 Apprentice Sheet Metal Workers(using Profile levels from FairbanksSheet Metal beginning Spring 2014)446UAA Chugiak EagleRiver Campus10/30/13Retail Management CertificateProgram Curriculum444USPS, Wasilla8/1/13City Carrier Assistant443ACE DragonCoatings andFoam 10/29/13On-the-Job Training ApprenticeshipYear 1 Industrial Painting ApplicationSpecialist4N/A4WorkplaceObservation 3,Listening forUnderstanding 38

1/31/2014CompanyWorkKeys Profiled Job,Reading MathEntryOther SkillsEntryPeak OilfieldServices Co.Roustabout44n/aListening forUnderstanding2, BusinessWriting 3Safeway (for UAA)Person In Charge444JATC Southern AKCarpentersFirst Year Carpenters ApprenticeIn Progress9

1/31/2014 Employers ask for employees who have “more math” or “better readingskills”WorkKeys defines those skills using a common metric and commonlanguageBusinessStudents & JobSeekersEducationWorkKeys and the National Career Readiness Certificate:the common language between business and education.10

1/31/2014Communication SkillsInterpersonal Skills Business Writing Teamwork Listening Reading for InformationSoft Skills Writing Performance TalentProblem Solving Skills Fit Applied Mathematics Applied Technology Locating Information Workplace Observation77% of profiled jobs utilize all of these skillsReading for Information Measures comprehension and reasoning skillswhen reading written text on the job.Applied Mathematics Measures skill in applying mathematical reasoning,critical thinking and problem-solving techniques from basic to multiple step math functions.Locating Information Measures skill in working with workplace graphicsto find and analyze information – a prized skill thatis hard to discern in a job interview11

1/31/2014You regularly check the pressure gauge on alarge tank. According to the gauge shown, whatis the current pressure (in PSI)?A. 30 B.35 C.40 D.45 E.100Why this is a Level 3 item:The problem contains an elementary workplace graphic.Examinees find one piece of information.23Quik Call charges 18 per minute for long-distance calls. Econo Phonetotals your phone usage each month and rounds the number of minutes upto the nearest 15 minutes. It then charges 7.90 per hour of phone usage,dividing this charge into 15-minute segments if you used less than a fullhour. If your office makes 5 hours 3 minutes worth of calls this month usingthe company with the lower price, how much will these calls cost?A. 39.50B. 41.48C. 41.87D. 54.00E. 54.54Why this is a Level 5 item: There are several steps of logic and calculation.Examinees must perform calculations using mixed numbers.Examinees must compare their answers with two sets ofcalculations and choose the "best deal."2412

1/31/2014A farmer's fence has three barbed wires attached to posts spaced two rods apart with two stays between posts.The top wire is forty-nine inches in height. The bottom wire is ten inches above the ground. Based on theregulation shown, why is the fence NOT lawful under Section 113.18?A. The fence must have four wires, two smooth and two barbed.B. The fence posts should be spaced closer together.C. The top wire should be higher.D. There should be more 97Silver15,792Gold6,149Platinum12613

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1/31/2014Getting started:Students can contact theirschool representative fortheir username andpassword.A career guide can assiststudents on lessons towork on in preparation fortaking the WorkKeysassessments.KeyTrain and WorkKeys go hand in hand.The same way a PSAT preps a student for the SAT, KeyTrain can beused to assist users with preparing for WorkKeys tests.KeyTrain / Career Ready 101 is being used by educators, employers,businesses, and even correctional institutions to build skills and preparestudents and job seekers/employees for the workforce.KeyTrain tests a user’s abilities, compares them to industry standards,and builds a training plan specifically geared to meet the training needsof that user.This isn’t a training plan for everyone, it’s a training plan for the individual.15

1/31/2014The NCRC is a credential that is: Evidence-based Industry-recognized Portable Certifies essential skillsimportant for workplacesuccess Awarded at four levels:Bronze, Silver, Gold,Platinum16

1/31/2014National Career Readiness CertificateNCRC is awarded at four levels based on an individual’sperformance on the assessment99%PLATINUM93%67%16%GOLDSILVERBRONZEThe score shows the skill level as compared to skills that employers seek in workers (forexample: 93% means an individual has necessary foundational skills for 93% of the jobs inthe WorkKeys database of profiled jobs) Provides you the opportunity to qualify for the National CareerReadiness Certificate and for the Alaska Performance Scholarship Showsprospective colleges, post secondary institutions, and.employers anywhere in the United States proof of your skills Identify workplace skills that could be improved, which enables youto see the importance of your existing and future courses. Match your workplace skills to the skills employers need Demonstrates your commitment to succeed Enables you to rank above other job applicants who do not have theneeded skills documented17

1/31/2014Once you see your scores, you can use them to search the WorkKeysdatabase to find careers that match your skills. Here is an example ofinformation you can get from the WorkKeys website atwww.act.org/workkeys/analysis/occup.html click on WorkKeys Occupational Profilesand click down arrow to search by skill levels. Increase the number of qualified applicants Help connect the right person in the right position Give employers a competitive edge Reduce employee training costs Reduce turnover Save hiring time and money Increase productivity and profitability Hire the right person the first time!18