2011 Center for Energy Workforce Development SummitNovember 7-9, 2011

Westin Alexandria • Alexandria, VA

Credentialing

Breaking New Ground: Building a National Workforce Skills Credentialing System

Martin Scaglione

President, Workforce Development

ACT, Inc.

The Current State of Affairs

2014(Projected)

High30% Low

45%

Middle25%

2007 Skill Level of America’s Workforce

Job Skill Level Demand Job Skill Level Supply

High33%

Low22%

Middle45%

Skill Gap

Job Demand and Supply

Benchmarks are scores on the ACT subject area tests that represent the level of achievement required for students to have a 50% chance of obtaining a B or higheror about a 75% chance of obtaining a C or higher in corresponding credit-bearing first-year college courses. The ACT College Readiness Benchmarks are:

What Are ACT’s College Readiness Benchmarks?

College Course Subject Area Test ACT Benchmark

English Composition English 18

Social Sciences Reading 21

College Algebra Mathematics 22

Biology Science 24

College ReadinessCollege Readiness Benchmarks

by Subject

Sixty-six percent of all ACT-tested highschool graduates met the English CollegeReadiness Benchmark in 2011. Just 1 in 4(25%) met all four College ReadinessBenchmarks.

In 2011, 52% of graduates met the Reading Benchmark, while 45% met the Mathematics Benchmark. Just under 1 in 3 (30%) met the College Readiness Benchmark in Science.

Ben

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18

Ben

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21

Ben

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22

Ben

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24

7

8

Energy Skill Demand

Manufacturing Skill Demand

Construction Skill Demand

Healthcare Skill Demand

Energy Gap Analysis – Low Education Occupations

Energy Gap Analysis – Middle Education Occupations

Energy Gap Analysis – High Education Occupations

- A significant skill gap exists for energy occupations that require a high level of education for both Applied Mathematics and Locating Information

- Significant foundation skill gaps exist for US examinees with both middle and high levels of education for jobs that require a similar level of educational attainment

- For manufacturing, healthcare, construction, and energy occupations that require a middle or high level of education, the majority of US examinees do not meet or exceed the skill requirements for Locating Information.

- Less than half of individuals with a middle or high level of education meet the Applied Mathematics skill requirements for the majority of manufacturing, construction, and energy jobs.

Conclusions

• Utilize State-Level Data

• Develop a National Workforce Skills Credentialing System

National Action Plan

Establish a coalition of national partners

Initiate a field-building agenda

Launch a “Skill Up Now” campaign

Codify a common language

Build a dynamic open-source platform

Questions?

Martin Scaglione

Martin.Scaglione@act.org

319/341-2968