ACT WorkKeys® are job skills assessments that measure real-world skills. These assessments look at an individual’s skill level and career potential, connecting work skills, training, and skills testing for educators and employers. All Nevada State High School (NSHS) students take a pre-test during the Introduction to College course, and post-testing is conducted in the spring to document student improvement over the year. Students are required to work on their areas of improvement with a preparation program to help increase their scores. Students can earn a National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) that can be used to market their credentials to colleges and future employers!
After completing the assessments, NSHS students receive a medal level that corresponds to the potential they have to be successful at different jobs across the nation. Medal levels are based upon the lowest score achieved on any portion of the test and can affect the diploma that students earn at graduation. Nevada’s new College and Career Readiness Diploma requires that students achieve a Silver WorkKeys® level to earn the Career Endorsement, and NSHS awards a Regents Diploma (our highest diploma) to students who achieve a Gold WorkKeys® level.
NSHS students are able to acquire cords that correspond to their medal levels to wear at graduation. In addition to celebrating their scores when they graduate, students can market their credentials to employers by including them on their resumes. In class, they’ll learn how to explain what the assessment is and how it makes them a more competitive candidate.
The breakdown of the levels and the percentage of jobs testers are qualified for is as follows:
- Bronze: 16% of jobs in ACTPro® database
- Silver: 67% of jobs in ACTPro® database
- Gold: 93% of jobs in ACTPro® database
- Platinum: 99% of jobs in ACTPro® database
Since the 2009–2010 school year, more than 2,400 testers have achieved an NCRC with the following medal levels:
- Bronze: 9% of testers
- Silver: 40.6% of testers
- Gold: 43% of testers
- Platinum: 6% of testers