Governor Kulongoski Signs First Oregon Career Readiness Certificates
Certificates identify skill level of workers and help connect job-seekers with employers
(Salem) - Governor Ted Kulongoski today signed the first Oregon Career Readiness Certificates, an employee credentialing system that measures foundational job skills and supports skill building for career success. Endorsed by businesses across Oregon, the certificate verifies “readiness to work” at varied skill levels and provides employers a way to identify job applicants with the most potential.
“This certificate is designed to further develop an Oregon workforce ready to meet the needs of the changing global economy and workplace,” Governor Kulongoski said. “During this difficult economic time, this program will also serve as a tool to help connect Oregonians looking for work with employers looking for a skilled workforce.”
The Oregon Career Readiness Certificate is awarded after an applicant completes an assessment process that measures skills in three areas: applied math, reading for information and locating information. More than 85 percent of job profiles compiled by ACT have shown that skills in these areas are important to employers and correlate directly with job performance.
After an applicant completes the assessment, they are awarded one of three certificates: Gold (advanced), Silver (Proficient) or Bronze (Basic) in accordance with their competency in the three areas tested. Employers partnering with the program will be able to use the three-tiered certificate to best identify job applicants with the right skill set they need. The program will also recommend curriculum for those seeking to improve their skills for Oregonians who complete the testing and would like more advanced training.
“Oregon needs to ensure we have the best trained and a highly qualified workforce if we want to compete in a global marketplace,” the Governor continued. “This program will help us measure the skills of Oregon’s workforce while also helping Oregonians obtain the further education and training they need to obtain higher wage jobs.”
The Oregon Career Readiness Certificate was initiated with the Governor’s Workforce Investment Act funds and will continue to be funded through workforce dollars provided in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. At this point, 256 Oregonians have been awarded the certificate and 31 businesses in Oregon have signed on as champions of the Oregon Career Readiness Certificate and will use the certificate as a part of their hiring practices.
Contacts:
Anna Richter Taylor, 503-378-6169
Jillian Schoene, 503-378-5040
Rem Nivens, 503-378-6496
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