Employers can no longer afford to rely on a high school diploma, the GED, or even a college degree as the only measure of workplace readiness. More than half of the applicants for jobs at a given company lack the combination of skills required, even if they have a diploma or degree. For example, only 31% of college graduates are proficient in reading for information, according to the National Center for Educational Statistics.

WorkKeys® and the Essential New York Initiative Certificate of Workplace Competency can help you establish skill standards for your company’s entry-level jobs, so you can seek out applicants who have earned certificates and demonstrate a higher level of proficiency. You can integrate the certificate into your employee recruitment program and customize the certificate to your jobs or industry cluster.

Locally Recognized
The Certificate of Workplace Competency is widely recognized by the leading economic and workforce development organizations in Central New York.

Nationally Endorsed
The certificate is based on the National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) which is endorsed by the National Association of Manufacturers, the National Center for Energy Workforce Development, and the National Center for Construction Education and Research. Over 2 million NCRCs have been awarded nationally.

The Certificate is awarded at three skills levels, based on the competencies required for specific jobs.

Level	Validates skills for	Jobs such as
Gold	80% of all entry-level jobs	Maintenance Technician Customer Service Nurse
Silver	65% of all entry-level jobs	Carpenter Certified Nurse Assistant Machine Operator II
Bronze	30% of all entry-level jobs	Truck Driver Assembler Laborer