Employers

The National Work Readiness Credential identifies the knowledge, skills, and abilities that supervisors, managers, and other workforce experts agree are most important when looking for people who can successfully perform entry-level work. Entry level jobs are defined as non-supervisory, non-managerial, non-professional positions. These may be unskilled positions, or they may be skilled positions where the required job-specific skills can be learned while on the job.

What Businesses Want
The National Work Readiness Credential is based on a standard defined by business for entry-level work readiness. Its addresses the ability of an individual to perform basic entry-level tasks.

With the Credential, employers can confidently hire entry-level workers who can:
- Complete work accurately, on time, and to a high standard of quality
- Work in teams to achieve mutual goals and objectives
- Follow work-related rules and regulations
- Demonstrate willingness to work and show initiatives
- Display responsible behaviors at work, including avoiding absenteeism and demonstrating promptness

A Historic Launch
After years of careful preparation, the National Work Readiness Credential began a targeted “soft” launch in September 2006, in approximately 50 sites around the country. The full launch of the Credential will begin in January 2007.

Initially, the Credential will be administered through the public workforce systems in the six founding states: Florida, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Washington, and the District of Columbia, in addition to the JA Worldwide high school curriculum.

Because the assessment will be available through a web-based delivery system via a secure server, it will be able to be administered by community colleges, other education and training providers, and employers.

For more information:
History of the National Work Readiness Credential
US Chamber of Commerce