ACT WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC)
Foundational
ACT
Practical uses
- 01
Show employers you're ready for any job site from day one.
- 02
Meet baseline safety or workplace requirements across many trades.
- 03
Stack it with a trade-specific credential to raise your pay.
How to get it
- 1.
Register for the three core assessments: Applied Math, Workplace Documents, and Graphic Literacy. Indiana workforce centers (WorkOne) often offer them free — ask before paying.
- 2.
Prepare with ACT's free practice tests and the free ACT WorkKeys curriculum online.
- 3.
Take the proctored assessments at an approved testing center — each runs roughly 45–55 minutes.
- 4.
Score at Bronze level or above on all three assessments to earn the certificate.
- 5.
Receive your NCRC, which never expires, and share your certificate number with employers or add it to applications.
Study tips
- Graphic Literacy is where people stumble — practice reading tables, blueprints, and charts under time pressure.
- Gold is the level most employers screen for; a couple of evening practice sessions per assessment is usually enough to move from Silver to Gold.