Hire with Confidence—Without Shrinking Your Applicant Pool

In today’s tight labor market, many employers have moved away from pre-hire assessments to keep applicants flowing. But that often means hiring with limited insight into a candidate’s true workplace readiness.

The ACT WorkKeys® National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC®) offers a smarter solution. Used as a post-offer assessment, WorkKeys gives you a clear, objective picture of a new hire’s foundational skills—without eliminating candidates from your pipeline. It measures real-world skills for real-world jobs.

How ACT WorkKeys Benefits Employers

ACT WorkKeys is a system of assessments and curriculum that build and measure essential workplace skills that can affect your employees' job performance and increase opportunities for career changes and advancement. By completing the assessments, individuals can earn the National Career Readiness Certificate® (NCRC) — the nation’s most recognized work readiness credential. Issued at four levels of achievement, the NCRC measures and certifies the essential work skills needed for success in jobs across industries and occupations.

Why Employers Use WorkKeys NCRC

When applicant pools are limited, employers are often forced to hire individuals who may need immediate upskilling or lack the capacity to grow into expanded roles. WorkKeys NCRC helps employers:

• Lower employee turnover
• Validate workforce readiness after the offer is made
• Identify skill gaps early and target training investments
• Spot high-potential employees sooner
• Reduce hiring costs and onboarding risk
• Improve retention

Build a Stronger Talent Pipeline

Organizations nationwide rely on WorkKeys NCRC to document skills that apply across a wide range of jobs and industries. The credential strengthens connections between employers, educators, and workforce partners—aligning hiring, training, and advancement around a shared skills framework.

When integrated with your existing talent strategies, WorkKeys NCRC becomes a powerful tool supporting:

• Recruitment and onboarding
• Training and upskilling
• Succession planning and mentoring
• Improved return on workforce investment

Added Value for Employees

While delivering actionable data for employers, WorkKeys NCRC also benefits employees by providing verified proof of skills, identifying training needs, and supporting career advancement. At Arkansas State University Newport, employees can even earn up to six college credit hours, accelerating their academic and career goals.

Bottom line: WorkKeys NCRC helps employers hire smarter, train more effectively, and build a stronger, more reliable workforce—without sacrificing applicant flow.

Format: Paper-based test, each assessment takes approximately 55 minutes.

Cost: $65

Scheduling: Contact us (workforce@asun.edu) to schedule your new hire's assessment, testing scheduled on demand.