Charting A Course:
Responding to the Industry-Related
Instructional Needs of the Limited
English Proficient

The Work Readiness Credential/Profile

In the course of curriculum development, developers will also want to follow the progress being made during the field-testing of the Work Readiness Credential. The Equipped for the Future (EFF) Work Readiness Profile was developed when EFF was underwritten by the National Institute for Literacy. Now under the sponsorship of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce as well as a number of states and industrial associations, the profile describes the skills new workers need to be able to use well enough to successfully perform critical entry-level work tasks. An important element: tasks are organized according to SCANS Skills and Competencies, making for an easy transition between EFF and SCANS.

Based on businesses’ consensus of what entry-level workers need to know and be able to do in the 21st century workplace, the profile responds to reports by employers that 40% of job applicants lack the basic skills necessary to do the work. Many employers are looking for a pool of applicants who are ready for job-specific technical training. The profile (Appendix C) may serve as a guide for developing curricula responsive to what employers are seeking in potential employees.

Upon finalization, the Work Readiness Credential will provide certification of work readiness based upon a computer-delivered and legally defensible modular assessment battery. The credential assessments currently being field tested are intended to certify individuals’ employability and set them on the path to better jobs. Results of the field tests will provide valuable information regarding the appropriateness of the assessments with English language learners. The portable credential will be nationally recognized by business and industry and is a critical first step in preparing the workforce for other career opportunities involving occupational certifications.

The four assessment components – reading, math, situational judgment, and oral language – have been reviewed by teams of experts working with English language learners. This is to ensure that the language is as clear and simple as possible and still successful in getting the concepts across, and that what is being measured is the standard and not the language of the test.

Current timelines call for the field-testing of the assessments to be completed by May 2006. Assessment instruments, guides to use, and supporting materials will become available sometime thereafter.

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