Kent County led the state in bringing the National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) to Michigan.  Understanding that the county and state need a workforce with good skills and well prepared for life-long learning, the NCRC was brought to Kent County in 2006 and then adopted by the state in 2008 to assist in the preparation of students for the world work.

Students are tested in three areas: applied mathematics, locating information and reading for information. Earning a Certificate demonstrates a student’s readiness for the workplace – critical competencies according to hundreds of employers.   The certificate offers students, employers and educators an easily understood and universally valued credential that certifies the attainment of workplace skills valuable in a majority of 21st century careers.

All three of the tests are part of the WorkKeys testing program.  WorkKeys and the National Career Readiness Certificate were development by ACT, an internationally recognized assessment and research company.  In addition, all three WorkKeys tests that make up the NCRC are included in the Michigan Merit Exam (MME) given to all high school juniors. Student can earn a bronze, silver or gold Certificate as they graduate.

It is important that the community understands the importance of the NCRC, but especially the following audiences and why.