FAQ
Why is the Certificate based on the Applied Mathematics, Reading for Information, and Locating Information skills?
ACT has profiled more than 16,000 individual jobs to determine the skills and skill levels needed to succeed in them. According to our findings, three skills are highly important to most jobs:
- Reading for Information—comprehending work-related reading materials, from memos and bulletins to policy manuals and governmental regulations
- Applied Mathematics—applying mathematical reasoning to work-related problems
- Locating Information—using information from such materials as diagrams, floor plans, tables, forms, graphs, and charts
A solid foundation of these three skills is essential for a well-qualified workforce.
A recent American Management Association survey found that 38 percent of job applicants taking employer-administered tests in the United States lacked the reading and math skills needed in the jobs for which they applied. This problem is not unique to the United States.
Information retrieval and problem-solving skills—what the Locating Information test measures—are highly relevant in our information-based business culture.
Which businesses will accept a career readiness certificate?
ACT’s partners in countries where the ICRC is being implemented are working hard to let local businesses know about the certificate, what it signifies, and how it can be used to find skilled workers. Contact the local ICRC provider in your country to obtain a list of these local businesses. A host of multinational companies also accept certificates, including Citigroup, Morningstar Foods, Northrop Grumman, Rockwell-Collins, Unilever, and many others.
What makes the International Career Readiness Certificate unique?
The International Career Readiness Certificate is based on well-established WorkKeys® tests that are documented as making a difference for employers. WorkKeys has been in use for nearly two decades and is already widely accepted by thousands of companies all over the world.
The International Career Readiness Certificate is a proven, successful system. Career readiness certificates are used in the U.S. at the state- and community-wide levels.
Because WorkKeys tests assess essential foundational skills, they are applicable to and necessary for virtually every job. "Soft skills" are important, but essential foundational skills such as reading, math, and locating information are the foundation of training for just about every job.