Central Lakes College recently hosted an assessment for Lakeland
Mold Company of Brainerd as the firm’s employees participated in the National
Career Readiness Certificate workplace success initiative. Lakeland Mold is piloting the use of the NCRC as
a tool for incumbent employee training needs and screening for qualified
applicants for company job openings. The National Career
Readiness Certificate, issued by ACT, is an industry-recognized, evidence-based
credential that certifies essential skills needed for workplace success across
all sectors of the economy. The credential measures cognitive skills such as
problem solving, reading and using work-related text, applying mathematical
reasoning to work-related problems, and comparing and analyzing information in
multiple related graphs.
Over 17,000 careers have been profiled to determine
the level of skills needed to succeed in each job. Of those careers, 99% can be performed by
someone at the Platinum level; 93% of those jobs can be performed at the Gold
level; 67% at the Silver level; and 16% can be performed by someone at the
Bronze level.
Lakeland Mold employees
produced impressive results. They tested above the national and state averages
for the certificate. Of the 75 test
takers 1.4% scored at Platinum level; 34% scored Gold; 60% scored Silver; and
4% scored Bronze.
The NCRC assessment is growing
momentum as part of a regional initiative to better prepare the local workforce
and predict employee success in growing industries.
Partners include Central
Lakes College, the Department of Employment and Economic Opportunity, Rural
Minnesota Concentrated Employment Program, Brainerd Lakes Chamber Bridges
Career Academies, Brainerd High School, and local employers such as Lakeland
Mold who promote the NCRC as an effective strategy to ensure workplace success.
The NCRC is offered without charge to
businesses and individuals in Minnesota.
Central Lakes College is piloting
the NCRC in several career education programs.
All welding students and instructors at CLC have recently been NCRC
certified. They have also scored impressive results.
“The NCRC is one way the college
hopes to benefit its students by boosting their resumes with the seal of
workplace-ready certification,” said Dr. Suresh Tiwari, vice president of
academic and student affairs at CLC.
Lakeland Mold Company is a world
recognized leader in the manufacture of cast and CNC aluminum tooling for the
rotational molding industry.
For information visit www.lakelandmoldcompany.com.
For information on the NCRC visit www.act.org/certificate.
Businesses seeking more information
should contact Trudi Amundson at trudi.amundson@state.mn.us
Individuals seeking more
information should contact Sue Hilgart at sueh@rmncep.com
