The natural endpoint of any educational opportunity has always been to make use of the developed skill set for the greater good of oneself and the larger community. One of the purposes for primary and secondary education has long been to prepare students to exercise learned abilities including (but not limited to) reading, writing, and arithmetic.

Other parameters include the development of the individual, working collaboratively as a part of a team, and the ability to navigate the workplace. Often this includes having a strong sense of literacy from both the written word (memos, notices, bulletins, etc.) as well as graphic literacy (understanding data and information from graphs, charts, and illustrations).

Taken together, along with mathematics applied to the working environment, these skill sets are at the core of producing a capable adult workforce regardless of the amount of formal education required. This is the core of the WorkKeys/NCRC focus for Rogers Public Schools and the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce.

Our region continues to be a leader in the development of both our youth and our workforce. The information below was presented at a recent workforce development meeting at the Chamber in conjunction with the Arkansas Secretary of Education.

Adaptive & Technical Behaviors
A change in both is required to enhance the experience of kids.

Adaptive (philosophical) behaviors have included a belief or understanding that success for each student is individualized and may require a variety of supports to ensure success. Technical (classroom) behaviors include using multiple levels of courses to accomplish the task.

Making Readiness a Priority
The WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate (ACT WorkKeys NCRC®) is an assessment-based credential issued at four levels: Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze. The NCRC measures and certifies the essential work skills needed for success in jobs across industries and occupations.

The WorkKeys/NCRC experience is an organic process at Rogers New Tech High School (RogersNTHS). Through combining the philosophical belief that all kids should be using the high school experience to begin a focused exploration of their future careers and the technical (teacher) behaviors of using multiple strategies and courses to engage students in the process, RogersNTHS has used NCRC as a tool to navigate success.

College & Career Readiness (CCR)
Administrators can support this process by supporting outcomes that facilitate the acquisition of various certifications related to NCRC. For RogersNTHS this has been the addition of College & Career Readiness (CCR - 493880) to our course offerings. By supporting this course with a change in graduation policy to sustain its effectiveness, certification numbers have jumped to over 67% of seniors tested prior to their senior year.

Building career readiness into the fabric of the high school experience requires much more than the shadowing event of yore. Each of the building blocks must be stacked to ensure a foundation of experiences students can stand on in the future. A strategic building plan coupled with a philosophy of personalized and customized experiences has resulted in success for learners in prepping for career readiness.