ERIC EJ964088: Illinois WorkNet System, NOCTI Partner for Real-World Credentials

2011·0.76 MB·English

by  ERIC

CREDENTIALING
illinois worknet System,
NOCti Partner for
real-WorlD CreDentialS
PHOTO BY ISTOCK.COM
30 Techniques November/december 2011 www.acteonline.org
By NATASHA TELGER AND JOHN FOSTER
C
redentials, credentialing • Do they have existing assessments Figure 1: College- and Career-ready Skills
systems and credentialing for your audience?
agencies have taken on a • Do they have experience working
level of significance that has with, or endorsements from, employers
propelled the visibility of the topic into the and educational institutions?
mtwiaaalnisn ti sswt aroe rrakemesur sml tw eoidft hiaa .sl akTrilghlesi,sr bfiososctuuhes ;t eoecnmh cpnrlieocdyaeel nrs- • • nADarotei oi tnnhdaeul asststrsayen sadsmsasroedcnsit?ast bioansse de nodno rse or Academic Employability
and soft skills, and workers need to demon- recognize specific assessments?
Industry-wide Technical
strate they have these skills. But what does • Do they provide services that include
it all mean? What credentials are getting test development, written and perfor-
people jobs and meeting employer needs? mance assessments that can be deliv-
Credentials can include information like ered in an online format, scoring
courses completed, experiences gained, services, and specialized reporting? Through efforts of a recently formed
assessments passed, and sometimes these • What is the assessment review/ Statewide Employability Assessment
pieces of information culminate in diplo- update schedule? working group, some are using local
mas or certifications received by passing • Do they offer an assessment format endorsement from businesses as one type
nationally validated examinations. that is accessible to individuals with of credential. What is different about the
For workers, obtaining credentials a disability? approach is it uses a set of service, train-
provides a competitive edge and validates • How many assessments are required ing and assessments that together help
possession of specific technical knowledge to cover the material? guarantee a qualified workforce. Workers
and skills. Through the use of an objec- • Is there curriculum to help prepare may have earned valuable credentials, but
tive assessment tied to a recognized set of individuals with the required skills? the point is that employers endorse the
national standards, a credential can certify • Does the cost of the assessment local Illinois
that an individual is ready for specialized fit within a budget? workNet program based on overall out-
employment. comes, not any one credential.
How does one know which assessments Is there any one assessment that pro- For example, local experts for each of
to select to provide a credential that is vides a college- and career-ready indi- these skill areas are available statewide.
meaningful to the employer? The decision vidual for employers? In Illinois, Illinois The local experts train and assess individ-
can be difficult since there are many op- workNet early adopters would say no. uals in local school districts, community
tions. Some argue that some credentialing This is why: National and state stan- colleges, technical schools, universities
agencies are profit-motivated, with less of dards, employers and various task forces and other training institutions. Some
a focus on test security, objectivity and na- bringing together education, government of those locations use national assess-
tional standards. Still, others would argue and employers play a role in identifying ments in technical areas and programs
that the standards can be proprietary or acceptable standards for work. A common of study. One example of a provider that
focused on a single company’s operations. theme is that a college- and career-ready offers national technical assessments is
Keep those views in mind when making a workforce needs to have a combination NOCTI. They provide technical certifi-
choice, but here are a few other things to of academic skills, industry-wide techni- cation exams for numerous credentialing
consider: cal skills, and employability (soft) skills partners. Some of these credentialing
(see Figure 1). To meet the workforce partners include: Manufacturing Skills
• Is the credentialing agency a leading needs, all Local Workforce Investment Standards Council, National Association
national provider of high-quality Areas (LWIAs) in Illinois use a grassroots of Homebuilders, American Culinary
occupational competency assessment partnership approach that recognizes the Federation, Plumbing Heating and Cool-
products? local experts in each primary skill area. ing Coalition, and the North American
www.acteonline.org November/december 2011 Techniques 31
CREDENTIALING
Figure 2: Assessments Accessible Through Illinois workNet Technicians of Excellence. In fact, these
partners are currently working together
on a project that will assure a consistent
Customer attends Illinois workNet Center or partner class/orientation.
pathway for students trying to obtain
industry credentials.
Customer completes Computer Skills Self-survey and follows next steps. Academic/technical skills and cre-
dentials may get you in the employer’s
door, but soft skills help keep you there.
Customer completes employability skills pre-assessment.
Workforce Investment Areas are great
resources for helping people obtain
Customer participates in training/workshops and completes the activities employability (soft) skills. They offer re-
(including career interest and skill profilers) for skill enhancement. Results are saved in sources for helping people explore careers
Illinois workNet customer and training programs to lead them to
accounts and can be pursue occupations that match their skills
Workforce professional completes observational assessment.
viewed by approved and interests. They offer many resources
workforce professionals.
for workplace skills to help people find job
Customer completes 21st Century Skills assessment. openings, get jobs, keep jobs, and excel
to meet their career goals. In Illinois, a
variety of assessments have been used to
Supervisor completes worksite evaluation and WP enters the data.
assess work readiness (academic and tech-
nical) and soft skills (see Figure 2), and
Once the supervisor has completed the post-hire evaluation, they have been documented in the Illinois
the person can earn their locally endorsed certificate of completion. Workforce Development System (IWDS)
federal reporting system.
What approach is Illinois workNet
taking? Illinois workNet, the state’s pri-
Figure 3: Illinois workNet Skills Wheel mary online workforce development Web
site and resource for Workforce Invest-
ment Act (WIA) services, is addressing
the need for credentials not by focusing
on any one assessment, but by working
with partners to implement a customer
service approach that integrates a set
of assessments throughout a continuum
of services. This set of available assess-
ments includes skill and interest profiles,
pre-assessments, work-readiness activi-
ties, and work-readiness assessments that
include observational notes by instructors
and employers. The outcome focus is a
promise, to customers and employers, to
meet employment needs. The first step
in addressing this need was convening a
workgroup in partnership with Chicago
Workforce Investment Council, Illinois
Workforce Professionals programmatic
committee members, and other LWIA
directors. The focus of the group is to
identify outcomes benefitting workers
and employers.
32 Techniques November/december 2011 www.acteonline.org
A History of collaboration on preparing a college- and career-ready readiness activities and assessments that
In June of 2005 the Governor’s Illinois workforce. Within the WIA continuum of have been used in ARRA Summer Youth
Workforce Investment Board launched services, LWIAs work with local part- Employment Programs since 2009.
Illinois workNet, with the Illinois Depart- ners to ensure their customers can gain In 2009-2010, a Case Management
ment of Commerce and Economic Op- the necessary academic, technical and Workflow Study identified how these
portunity taking the lead and sponsoring employability skills to meet local employ- assessments and tools can be used within
implementation. The Web site (www. ment needs. The focus of the LWIA staff the WIA continuum of services. As a
illinoisworknet.com) and program is connecting customers to work support result, it also identified the need for a
that resulted are based upon partnerships services, training for in-demand oc- common validated work-readiness assess-
and technology to expand seamless and cupations, and providing expertise and ment. Options were reviewed to identify
real-time access to workforce development resources to teach the employability skills an affordable, validated work-readiness
resources for individuals, businesses and that are essential for a training-ready or assessment that included soft skills at-
workforce professionals. career-ready individual. tributable to success in today’s workforce,
The Illinois workNet portal is a tool and could be offered through customer
A cutting-edge Program used by LWIA staff and partners to help accounts. The NOCTI 21st Century
Customer-driven changes and partner prepare individuals and, ultimately, con- Skills for Workplace Success (21SWS) was
collaboration have been the cornerstone nect them to employers. As part of the selected as a non-occupation-specific em-
of success for Illinois workNet. The site workforce system, Illinois workNet offers ployability assessment to be made avail-
is integral to the WIA continuum of ser- a variety of assessments that help direct able as a free resource for Illinois workNet
vices—connecting workforce profession- individuals toward exploring careers partners. This assessment covers the core
als, businesses and individuals in Illinois. and training that match their skills and knowledge and skill areas from the career
For individuals, the program is focused interests. In addition, it also offers work- cluster movement, as well as content that
Visit our Booth
#916
TM
www.acteonline.org November/december 2011 Techniques 33
CREDENTIALING
other employers have requested. initiative, self-presentation, importance of interests and prepare participants
The 21SWS assessment includes an attendance, and the importance of being with work-readiness knowledge.
evaluation of reading, math and writ- a team member. These resources are available on
ing skills, speaking and listening skills, www.illinoisworknet.com.
computer literacy, reasoning, problem- How It Works Additional resources and guidance
solving and decision making, understand- • Step 1: Workforce professionals use are provided for Illinois workNet
ing the big picture, work ethic, bringing the Illinois workNet activities and partners through the workforce pro-
a positive attitude, independence and resources to identify skills and fessionals’ pathway. This guidance can
be used to prepare participants for the
NOCTI assessment, as well as the
other assessments that are offered
through Illinois workNet.
• Step 2: Illinois workNet partner sites
have the ability to order the NOCTI
21st Century Skills for Workplace
Success Assessment from their Illinois
workNet workforce professionals’
pathway dashboard. Once they agree
to NOCTI terms of use, they are
provided access to order assessments
Visit our Booth
and proctor materials.
• Step 3: In a proctored environment,
the assessments are distributed
#827
electronically to the participant
through his or her Illinois workNet
account.
After the results have been marked as
official through NOCTI, participants
can access their results within their ac-
count, and case managers or instructors
can view and track assessment results.
If the participant scored low in an area,
or if he or she wants to learn more, the
individual can click on a specific NOCTI
skill area for more information. Each
NOCTI skill area is cross-referenced
back to the Illinois workNet Skills Wheel
(Figure 3), which provides 12 skill areas
that are needed for participants to be
ready for college and careers. The skill
areas are cross-walked to a compilation
of the national and state standards, and
IWIB task force recommendations. The
Skills Wheel uses scenarios, activities,
definitions, links to additional resources,
and next steps for participants to enhance
their skills and to prepare for work-readi-
ness assessments.
Workforce professionals can view
34 Techniques November/december 2011 www.acteonline.org
participant results and run reports based approach is new. The early adopters • workplace skill online assessment
on their specified customer groups (youth, began in September this year, and the (includes soft skills); and
adult, dislocated worker), site/location, program was made available to other • worksite evaluation for employer
and compare results to statewide and partners in October. feedback (includes soft skills).
national data. This integrated, seamless Illinois workNet early adopters have
system was collaboratively designed to taken the approach of incorporating the Although this program is in its early
not only assess and report workplace series of assessments and resources into stages, there has been much excitement
competence, but stored information in their process. Most early adopters have about integrating the NOCTI 21st
Illinois workNet can be synced to update decided to start using the assessment with Century Skills for Workplace Success
the IWDS state reporting system. their youth program. For example, they assessment and resources into the WIA
are providing the following items in an continuum of services’ local approach.
early results individual self-accessed or group setting: The streamlining process makes it easy
The concept of LWIAs working to access, distribute and use.
in partnership with academic and • assessments to identify skills
occupational training providers to and interests;
help individuals become college- and • activities to help participants explore Natasha Telger
career-ready is not new. However, using careers, find training programs, learn is the Integration and Training Coordinator for Illinois workNet.
technology to streamline the process, workplace skills, and find/apply for She can be contacted at [email protected].
offering a consistent set of free activities, jobs;
John C. Foster, Ph.D.,
resources and assessments through • workplace skill feedback based on
is the president and CEO of NOCTI and the Whitener Group. He
Illinois workNet, and gaining local observations in a group setting
can be contacted at [email protected].
program endorsement on the holistic (includes soft skills);
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