The Center of Workforce Innovations Posts
Work Keys Certificates Show Students Have Needed Job Skills - November 03 2011
MERRILLVILLE | As part of a special Senior Career Day, seniors at Merrillville High School recently were awarded Work Force Readiness Certificates that document reading for information and math application skills needed for entry-level jobs in business and industry.
Careers Day also included presentations by representatives from The Times Media Co., ArcelorMittal, NIPSCO/NiSource, The Methodist Hospitals, LANAIR Technology Group and The Center for Workforce Innovations. Representatives spoke about "work ethic" skills such as a positive attitude, working well with others, time management and recognizing problems and finding solutions.
"I thought the panel group was excellent ... the community leaders did a great job informing the students of what employers are looking for in future employees," said Pat Smith, family and consumer science teacher.
In May, at the end of their junior year, the students were given three tests, known collectively as "Work Keys." These tests assessed student literacy skills related to "Reading for Information," "Reading to Locate Information" and "Applied Math."
The tests were scored on a seven-point rubric. If students scored at Level 3 on all three tests, they qualified for a bronze certificate; scores at Level 4 on all tests qualified them for a silver certificate; reaching Level 5 earned a gold;attaining Level 6 rated a platinum certificate.
A person with a bronze certificate would qualify as having the basic entry level skills for 16 percent of all jobs. A silver certificate qualifies a person as having basic entry level skills for 67 percent of all jobs, gold certificate qualifies for 93 percent of all jobs and platinum for 99 percent of all jobs.
Two-thirds of Merrillville High School seniors received a silver or gold certificate and have the basic skills for 67 percent of all jobs. Almost 85 percent of the MHS students qualified for at least a Bronze certificate as juniors.
"The five businesspeople represented a potential future for the students here at Merrillville High," MHS senior Abraham Garcia said. "The advantage of utilizing the Work Keys assessment and speaking to the representatives puts our school ahead by giving us an outlook on our prospective careers."
Now that seniors are more aware of what is needed to be prepared for a career, they will be given another opportunity to qualify for a higher level certificate early in 2012.
"Not only will students graduate with a diploma, but they will graduate with a formal certificate of real work place skills that will give them an advantage in the workplace," said Tony Lux, superintendent of Merrillville Community School Corp.
By Times Staff | Posted: Wednesday, November 2, 2011 12:00 am
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