The EFF Work Readiness Credential:

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• The EFF Work Readiness Credential
• Meeting the Demand
• for 21st Century Workers
• Sondra Stein,Project Manager
• EFF Work Readiness Credential

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EFF Work Readiness Credential

• a national, portable credential
• defines,
• measures, and
• certifies
• jobseekers have the knowledge, skills, and
  abilities they need to succeed in entry-level
  work in the 21st Century workplace.

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Business defines the Skills Gap

• A lack of qualified job applicants
• 69 inadequate basic employability skills
• 32 inadequate reading/writing skills
• Skill deficiencies in current employees
• 59 inadequate basic employability
• 32 poor reading/writing skills
• 26 inadequate math skills
• 24 inadequate English language skills
• 22 inability to work in a team environment
• --The Skills Gap 2001, NAM.

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Purposes

• For employers to streamline the hiring process
  for businesses by identifying a work-ready pool
  of applicants.
• For jobseekers to enable adults and older youth
  to demonstrate to prospective employers that they
  are work ready.

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Purposes For the Workforce System

• To improve the ability of local, regional, and
  state workforce development systems to reliably
  identify and consistently refer work-ready
  applicants.
• To improve the ability of these systems to help
  individuals develop the knowledge and skill
  required to be fully competent entry-level
  workers.

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EFF Standards For Adult Learning
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What are Equipped for the Future Standards?

• A set of voluntary national adult learning
  standards
• based on what adults need to know and be able to
  do to be successful
• as workers, citizens, and members of families and
  communities.

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What are Equipped for the Future Standards?

• Developed through a federal-state partnership.
• Being used by more than 600 programs in 38
  states.
• Adopted by 14 states as statewide learning
  results for adult education and workforce
  programs.

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Four Steps to Build the Credential

• Develop and validate EFF Work Readiness
• profile, with broad input from business, labor,
  and other key stakeholders.
• Develop and pilot assessments to measure
  attainment of the profile.
• Validate assessments through field test.
• Design and implement the credential delivery
  system.

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The Credential will certify

• jobseekers can carry out essential entry level
  work tasks, including

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T H E E F F W O R K R E A D I N E S S P R
O F I L E
What New Workers in Entry Level Jobs Need to Be
Able to Do
New workers need to be able to use these EFF
Skills Communication Skills Speak So Others Can
Understand Listen Actively Read With
Understanding Observe Critically Interpersonal
Skills Cooperate With Others Resolve Conflict and
Negotiate Decision Making Skills Use Math to
Solve Problems and Communicate Solve Problems and
Make Decisions Lifelong Learning Skills Take
Responsibility for Learning Use Information and
Communications Technology
well enough to successfully carry out these
critical entry level tasks Acquire, use and
share information accurately and in a timely
manner. Use appropriate technology to get the
job done. Understand Systems. Monitor and
Correct Performance. Work as part of a team to
achieve goals and objectives. Work through
conflict constructively. Provide direct,
accurate and timely responses to customer
questions and concerns. Take responsibility for
completing one's own work accurately, on time, to
a high standard of quality. Demonstrate
integrity. Avoid absenteeism. Demonstrate
promptness. Maintain appropriate grooming and
hygiene. Manage time effectively. Cope with a
work situation or tasks that change
frequently. Identify actual or potential
problems related to one's own work report them,
and help to fix them. Learn new/additional
skills related to your job.
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The Credential assessment will

• Focus on application of knowledge and skills in
  work-appropriate settings.
• Computer-delivered.
• Modular, to make it easy to use and customize to
  local conditions.
• Total length 120-150 minutes.

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Modules in the Assessment will include

• WR-Read with Understanding 30 min.
• WR-Use Math to Solve Problems 30 min.
• WR-Oral Language Test 30 min.
• WR-Situational Judgment Test 30 min.
• Cooperate with Others
• Resolve Conflict and Negotiate
• Observe Critically
• Solve Problems Make Decisions
• Take Responsibility for Learning
• Use Math to Solve Problems

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Project Timeline
December 2002 February 2004 Phase 1. Define
EFF Work Readiness Profile
March 2004 March 2005 Phase 2. Identify,
develop, and pilot-test assessment
instruments. Design credential delivery system.
March 2005 March 2006 Phases 3 and 4.
Field-test assessment instruments. Finalize
assessment instruments, guides to implementation,
and supporting materials.
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Partners in Work ReadinessCredential

• State Partners so far Florida, New Jersey, New
  York, Rhode Island, Washington, and District of
  Columbia.
• Business Partners so far HTF, NAM/CWS, NRFF, US
  Chamber of Commerce/CWP.
• Other National Partners IEL/CWD, NAWB, NGA,
  NIFL.

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Contractors for EFF Work Readiness Credential

• SRI International
• BMC Inc.
• Center for Literacy Studies/University of
  Tennessee
• HumRRO
• WestEd

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Benefits of the Credential
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For Employers
A pool of qualified applicants who are ready for
job-specific technical training.
40 of job applicants lack the basic skills
necessary to do the work.
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For the Workforce Investment System
A direct link to labor market entry. A common
standard of success means programs focus on
whats important.
Adult literacy programs not aligned with labor
market needs. No agreement on what its
important for students to know.
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For Job Seekers
New Workers, Returning Workers, and Transitioning
Workers, regardless of age
Access to Good Jobs Multiple Career Pathways
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For the Nation

• More people moving out of poverty and on the road
  to a better life.

US business builds the workforce needed to be
global leaders.
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For More Information

• http//eff.cls.utk.edu/workreadiness