ACT WorkKeys

The ACT WorkKeys measures hard and soft skills to determine if students are ready for entry-level career success. It also helps students compare their skills to the skills that real jobs require and can lead to earning a National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC). Individual technical schools or work-training programs may require testing for admission or course placement.

WorkKeys Assessments

WorkKeys Assessments include both hard and soft skills assessments that enable students to:

Determine the skill levels they have achieved and can apply on the job or in training.
Identify skills they could improve and why it is necessary to improve
Match their skill level to specific job requirements
Show employers they have the skills needed for workplace success.

The Applied Math Assessment

The Applied Math assessment measures critical thinking, mathematical reasoning, and problem-solving techniques for situations that actually occur in today’s workplace. While individuals may use calculators and conversion tables to help with the problems on the assessment, math skills are still needed to think them through. There are 34 questions on this test.

The Graphic Literacy Assessment

The Graphic Literacy assessment measures skills that individuals use when they read and comprehend graphical materials (charts, diagrams, floorplans, etc.) to solve work-related problems. There are 38 questions on this test.

The Workplace Documents Assessment

The Workplace Documents assessment measures skills that individuals use when they read real workplace documents and use that information to make job-related decisions and solve problems. The documents include messages, emails, letters, directions, signs, bulletins, policies, websites, contracts, and regulations. There are 35 questions on this test.

Assessment Length

The Applied Math, Graphic Literacy, and Workplace Documents Assessments are each timed at 55 minutes each.

Assessment Format

Computer-Based (self-paced) or Pencil/Paper (same pace)

Assessment Cost

Each assessment costs $12. Hazelwood East Juniors and Seniors can take the assessments for FREE

Assessment Scoring

There is No Penalty for guessing. Scores show the lowest and highest possible level and give you information about the skills demonstrated on the assessment.

Understanding Your Score

Types of Scores

There are five levels of difficulty. Level 3 is the least complex, and Level 7 is the most complex. The levels build on each other, each incorporating the skills assessed at the previous levels.

ACT® WorkKeys® assessments (Applied Math, Workplace Documents, Graphic Literacy) have both Level and Scale Scores. These types of scores indicate an ability to perform more complex skills as the scores increase.

Level Scores are often used in hiring and advancement decisions. They are based on ACT WorkKeys job profiles which are a snapshot of the skills needed for a particular job.
Scale Scores are used by educators to track growth in skills over time. They aren’t used for hiring or advancement decisions. The Scale Score Interpretation Guide (PDF) helps to explain what the score is, how it can be used, and how it was developed.

Reports

The score report documents your skill level for each assessment taken and describes the tasks associated with each skill level. Reports are available immediately after testing. See the example below.

Using Scores

Not sure how WorkKeys scores can help job seekers and students? Here are some ideas:

Add information about the ACT WorkKeys NCRC or ACT WorkKeys scores to resumes or applications.
Take an ACT WorkKeys score report or ACT WorkKeys NCRC to a job interview to show the employer they have the skills needed for the job.
Include ACT WorkKeys scores in application materials for a community or technical college.
Give employers the ACT WorkKeys NCRC number or unique web address to verify a certificate.
Check scores with our occupational skills profiles to compare them to the average scores needed for more than 22,000 jobs: Occupational Profile Search
Review Using WorkKeys Scores (PDF) for additional information.

For information about each score level, see information on the individual assessment pages:

National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC)

The WorkKeys NCRC® measures and certifies the essential work skills needed for success in jobs across industries and occupations. NCRC is the most widely used employability credential in the United States. Benefits of the NCRC include:

Demonstrates that their skills meet the needs of employers
Show prospective employers concrete proof of their skills
Can be a talking point for job interviews and salary discussions
Can be used as a positive point on technical college applications
Earn college credit at many institutions and reach academic goals more quickly

ACT WorkKeys Test Prep

Preparation

WorkKeys assessments vary in the kinds of skills they measure. Whether taking just one assessment or a series of them, targeted preparation helps individuals know what to expect on test day. There are several ways for test takers to prepare and improve their scores.

Sample Questions

Explore free sample questions, available for each WorkKeys® skills assessment. Please note - if you have previously viewed and responded to the sample questions: to clear your prior responses you will need to remove the act.org cookies from your browser.

The National Career Readiness Certificate Assessments:

Online Practice Test

Build your skills at your own pace.

Online Practice Tests are available for several of the WorkKeys Assessments. These tests look and feel like the actual online assessments.

There are free practice tests for the updated WorkKeys NCRC assessments that allow you to get familiar with the types of questions and the online test experience (including the accessibility tools). These tests will also provide a basic score summary upon completion. You will need to create an account.