Columbus High School Seniors Take Career Readiness Exams

Approximately 50 Columbus High School seniors took the Workkeys exams this week to earn a NCRC (National Career Readiness Certificate). The NCRC is a portable, nationally recognized credential that demonstrates achievement and a certain level of workplace employability skills in Applied Mathematics, Locating Information, and Reading for Information. Coffeyville Community College, Columbus Technical Campus is an official testing center for the ACT National Career Readiness Certificate program.

To earn an NCRC certificate, the WorkKeys® Assessment is used to identify the student’s skill levels in three specific areas: Applied Math, Locating Information, and Reading for Information. These are the “real world” skills on local employers’ most wanted list. The NCRC is helpful for new hires and for promotions to higher-paying jobs alike. Test questions are based on challenges in the everyday work world.

Crossland Construction Company is paying the testing fees for all CUHS Seniors to take the Workkeys test. “Our founder, Ivan Crossland, Sr. always made education a high priority for himself and for those around him. Our company continues to value high quality education and the Work Readiness test and certificate has proven to be a great indicator of that. To help establish this test in our area schools is a great way for Crossland to promote academic excellence and the value of credentials. We look at it as a win for the students, a win for the schools, and a win for the community,” stated Nathan Kubicek, Crossland Construction.

The NCRC is a key part of the Certified Work Ready Communities (CWRC) program underway in Cherokee and Labette Counties. While helping businesses find the right employees the first time, CWRC also helps local communities better compete for new jobs and prosperity. It helps educators close skill gaps that put local jobs at risk. Local workers use the NCRC to better prove their skills to get ahead.

For more information about Workkeys and the NCRC certificate, contact Cindy Harrold at Coffeyville Community College, Columbus Technical Campus, 620-429-3896.