Workforce Development

NC Elite is one of the leading workforce development centers in the state.

To succeed in today’s competitive job market, individuals must not only master basic workforce skills, they must also engage in a process of continuing development. In an effort to acquire competent and exceptional employees --thus increasing their organizations’ prospects for success, many employers are seeking individuals with documented skills. NC Elite, through its services and experience, is dedicated to increasing the number of prepared jobseekers and to developing partnerships with local entities that fill job positions.

NC Elite Career Service Center is the only private sector of Work Keys in the Triangle.

Career Readiness Certification

Getting a Career Readiness Certificate allows you to show prospective employers that you possess the basic skills they are looking for. Beyond having a high school diploma (or GED) or a post-secondary degree, the CRC verifies that you can handle the kinds of tasks -finding information, reading instructions and directions, even working with figures- that are common in today's workplace.

The Certificate is based on established WorkKeys® assessment tests. (WorkKeys is a comprehensive skills assessment tool recognized by thousands of companies in the U.S. and by state and federal agencies.) To earn a Career Readiness Certificate, individuals undergo testing related to reading, applied math, and locating information through the WorkKeys skills assessment system.

Using the KeyTrain® program, NC Elite assesses an individual’s current job skills and identifies areas in which he or she could use further training. Individuals can then complete a KeyTrain tutorial service to help them prepare for a final WorkKeys assessment. When both the pre- and post- training assessments have been completed, and score reports have been evaluated, participants are awarded a Career Readiness Certificate at one of three achievement levels. Individuals who do not initially achieve the certificate can pursue targeted training and education through NC Elite Career Service Center.

For more information about this nationally recognized certification, please visit http://www.act.org/certificate/index.html

What is KeyTrain?

KeyTrain is a comprehensive, yet easy-to-use system for improving the basic skills measured by the WorkKeys® Employment System. Using KeyTrain, you can assess your potential WorkKeys score, review topics in each WorkKeys skill area, and practice problems similar to those on an actual WorkKeys assessment.

The KeyTrain system includes targeted, self-paced instruction, pre- and post-assessments, a complete learning management system and an occupational job profiles database. These components can be used to help individuals learn, practice and demonstrate the skills they need to succeed in the jobs and careers they desire.

Using KeyTrain, individuals can practice and improve skills in math, reading, and locating information. KeyTrain has been proven to improve the WorkKeys skills of the majority of the users. It has also been shown to be a predictor of performance on Work Keys assessment. However each individual user responds differently to learning and testing situations. KeyTrain bridges the gap between careers on the Occupational Network. There are two methods of instruction that are available using KeyTrain: Computer software self-study, and blended. NC Elite Career Service Center provides trainers for this blended instruction.

NC Elite Measures

NC Elite Measures is one service provided to each client of the Career Service Center. NC Elite Measures provides an individualized plan and structure for specific program activities. As the initial part of the service individuals complete the WorkKeys pre assessment, self-interest inventory, and learning style inventory. The NC Elite Measures will be included as a part of the customers’ portfolio to further help jobseekers to increase self-awareness. Scores from the pre test then will allow individuals to choose between the options based on his/her needs.

NC Elite has created an extended day program for Middle and High Schools. This program was created to help students relate school to work. Since Work Keys complements the K-12 school accountability system and high education reforms, we can start training our students for the career readiness certificate and help increase skills on standardized test.