Part 3: Work-Readiness Exams

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Department-Approved CDOS Pathway Assessments:
http://www.nysed.gov/common/nysed/files/programs/curriculum-instruction/cdos-approved-assessments-2017.pdf

ACT Work Keys

ACT Work Keys is a core set of work readiness assessments: Applied Math, Graphic Literacy, and Workplace Documents. Research-based and criterion referenced, Applied Math, Graphic Literacy, and Workplace Documents assess the common set of work readiness skills essential for success across industries and occupations.

  • Reading Level – 8th grade through HS
  • Math Level – 5th grade through HS

Sample Questions:

You are taking care of 3 kittens for 7 days. Each kitten eats 2 cans of food per day. How many cans of food will you need for the week?

  • 6 cans
  • 12 cans
  • 14 cans
  • 20 cans
  • 42 cans

Luis left home with $5.50 in his wallet. He spent $3.25 on drinks and $2.00 on a magazine. Later, his friend repaid him $3.50 that he had borrowed the previous day. How much did Luis have in his wallet then?

  • $1.75
  • $14.25
  • $12.25
  • $3.75
  • $3.25

Sponsored by ACT, Inc.: http://www.act.org/

Skills USA Career Essentials: Career-Ready Assessment

The Career-Ready assessment measures the universal foundation knowledge, skills and abilities necessary for entry-level employment. It has been designed in consultation with workforce experts such as but not limited to employers, national business organizations, federal and state labor agencies. There are 50 questions on the assessment in the areas of: Workplace Skills, Personal Skills, and Technical Skills Grounded in Academics

National Work Readiness Credential (NWRC)/NWRC Assessments

The NWRC assessments consist of four tests: Workplace Math, Workplace Reading, Situational Judgement and Active Listening. Each assessment is administered separately. The NWRC assessments are based on a comprehensive job task analysis (work readiness profile) – a compilation of the most common tasks required among entry level jobs across industries and the knowledge and skills required to perform these tasks with sufficient competence for success.

Four Modules:

  1. Situational Judgement
  2. Active Listening
  3. Reading with Understanding
  4. Using Math to Solve Problems

The test is 2 ½ hours long
Skill Levels: Reading and Math 7th-8th grade

Sponsored by National Work Readiness Council/ WIN Learning: www.nwrc.org

Workforce Skills Certification System

The WSCS is composed of the CASAS Reading and Math assessments, to measure academic skills, and the Workforce Readiness Skills (WRS) assessment to measure soft skills.

View an informational flyer: WSCS Flyer August 2018

IMPORTANT: WSCS is for experienced CASAS eTests and TOPSpro Enterprise users. We recommend that agencies have three to six months’ experience providing online testing prior to implementing WSCS.

Reading and Math Levels: Varies by performance level, includes preliteracy and adult low level literacy skills. Comparable to GED test

Sponsored by Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System (CASAS) and Learning Resources, Inc. (LRI): Workforce Skills Certification Systems WSCS Assessments for Entry Level Workers with the Skills to Move Up (casas.org)

Precision Exams 21st Century Success Skills

The 21st Century Success Skills assessment measures the universal foundation knowledge, skills and abilities necessary for entry-level employment. It has been designed in consultation with workforce experts such as but not limited to employers, national business organizations, federal and state labor agencies. The Career Essentials Assessments are specifically designed to fulfill state assessment requirements as outlined in Sec.113 (b)(2)(A)(ii) and sec. 113(b)(2)(B0(ii) of the Carl D. Perkins V Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act.

Vew the blueprint for this assessment at ks_300.pdf (youscience.com)

Sponsored by Precision Exams: http://www.precisionexams.com/newyork/exams.html

NOCTI 21st Century Skills for Workplace Success

NOCTI’s employability credentials measure the skills that represent critical knowledge needed for success in the workplace. The Employability assessments offer a written component and can be used at the secondary and post-secondary levels. Employability assessments can be delivered in an online or paper/pencil format

View the full blueprint for this assessment: NOCTI Employability Credential Blueprint

Sample Questions

(Sponsored by National Occupational Competency Testing Institute (NOCT): https://www.nocti.org/ )

The supermarket allows its customers to use a discount card that reduces their cost by 8 percent. Sam remembered to bring his card with him today. If his before-tax purchase was $125.00, what is his cost after he applies the discount card?

  1. $10.00
  2. $15.00
  3. $110.00
  4. $115.00

The audience of a memo is

  1. fellow employees
  2. potential clients
  3. sales representatives
  4. corporate sponsors

A summary describing the purpose of an organization is known as a

  1. vision statement
  2. company policy
  3. mission statement
  4. performance evaluation

NOCTI Employability Skills

The Employability Skills industry-based credential is included in NOCTI’s Employability assessment battery. NOCTI’s employability credentials measure the skills that represent critical knowledge needed for success in the workplace and represent standards identified by the subject matter expert team. This credential includes a knowledge based (multiple-choice) component that can be administered to both secondary and postsecondary levels participants.

You can view the full blueprint for this assessment at:
EmpSkills1440 (nocti.org)

Sample Questions

(Sponsored by National Occupational Competency Testing Institute (NOCTI): https://www.nocti.org/ )

After changes have been made to an existing file and saved under a new name, the original file is

  1. deleted
  2. modified
  3. unchanged
  4. formatted

Select the sentence below that is written correctly.

  1. It was to expensive for me to buy.
  2. I think she said she lived their
  3. Jim’s patients was wearing thin by the end of the day.
  4. The correspondence was left on the manager’s desk

When conducting internet research on the side effects of a particular drug, the most important thing to consider is the

  1. number of sites listed
  2. source of the information
  3. number of hits the page receives
  4. site creation date