New ACT research confirms that the ACT WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC), a trusted, skills-based credential, is an important tool to help make those abilities visible and create more pathways to opportunity.
In collaboration with CredLens, a national nonprofit that delivers actionable insights into credential, employment, and wage outcomes, ACT examined employment and wage data for prime-age adult learners (ages 25–54) who took the NCRC and achieved one of the four proficiency levels in 2018. The results show a consistent association between earning an NCRC and stronger employment and earnings outcomes over time (compared to adults who took the assessments but did not qualify for an NCRC).
The NCRC is a nationally recognized, skills-based credential earned through three ACT WorkKeys assessments: Applied Math, Graphic Literacy, and Workplace Documents. Together, they measure foundational skills people use to solve problems, interpret workplace graphics, and apply written information on the job.
The credential is awarded at four levels: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. Each level reflects increasing proficiency and alignment with the skill demands of a broader range of jobs as reported in the ACT WorkKeys Occupational Profiles, representing approximately 75% of civilian O*NET occupations. Because the assessments focus on what people can do rather than where they learned it, the NCRC can be especially valuable for workers whose abilities may be overlooked by degree-based hiring practices.
Among the sample of adults that took the three qualifying WorkKeys assessments towards an NCRC, 16% earned Platinum, 24% Gold, 34% Silver, 21% Bronze, and 5% did not qualify for the credential.
Employment rates for NCRC holders and non-qualifiers started at similar levels in 2018. Within a year, however, credential earners at every level had moved ahead of the national employment rate for this age group. Platinum earners showed the strongest and most sustained gains, approaching an 89% employment rate by 2020.
The timing matters. As the national employment rate softened amid the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, employment among NCRC holders remained steady or continued to rise. The findings do not prove that the credential caused these outcomes, but they suggest that validated foundational skills may offer workers a measure of resilience as labor-market conditions change.
The wage findings tell a similar story. Over the five years after earning an NCRC, median salaries increased by:
$16,000 for Bronze earners
$19,000 for Silver earners
$26,500 for Gold earners
$30,000 for Platinum earners
Comparatively, median earnings for non-NCRC holders increased by only $13,000 during the same period.
The earnings gap did not simply appear — it widened over time. These results align with earlier ACT research connecting higher NCRC levels with higher average income and stronger income growth among people with similar levels of education.
Adult learners often navigate barriers that extend far beyond the classroom: work obligations, transportation, childcare, financial constraints, technology access, and busy schedules that leave little room for coursework. For STARs, another barrier is proving the value of skills gained through work experience, military service, community college, or training programs rather than from a traditional bachelor’s degree.
The NCRC gives learners, employers, educators, and workforce partners a common language for workplace readiness. NCRC scores and performance-level descriptions show what a person can do at each level, helping employers recognize demonstrated skills and helping learners identify strengths, understand skill gaps, and choose a next step.
That value grows when the credential is part of a larger pathway. Because it’s stackable, learners can build on demonstrated competencies through additional education and credentials, creating momentum and motivation as they progress towards what’s next.
ACT’s Pathways to Success pilot shows what can happen when a credential is paired with practical support. Implemented through ACT Work Ready Communities, the initiative combines skills assessment, stackable credentials, career coaching, and support services for historically underserved learners.
As a result of the pilot, 6,000 additional underserved learners enrolled in the program and:
34% improved their NCRC level
87% earned a stackable credential
98% continued their education after credential attainment
The lesson is clear: credentials matter, but pathways matter, too. Assessment becomes more powerful when learners also have coaching, support services, and a visible route to further education or employment.
For workforce leaders, educators, employers, and policymakers, the findings point to practical next steps:
Expand access to the NCRC through adult education, community colleges, workforce programs, and employer-based pipelines.
Pair assessment with advising, skill building, stackable credentials, and career navigation that progresses to training and employment.
Coordinate funding and supportive services to reduce barriers such as tuition, transportation, childcare, technology access, and lost wages.
Use shared intake, a unified network of workforce development agencies, and assessment to identify learner goals, skills gaps, and support needs early.
Encourage employers to recognize demonstrated skills in hiring, advancement, and compensation decisions.
Recognized skills are the key to unlocking employment opportunities and growth. The NCRC gives workers a credible, recognized way to show what they know and can do, and gives employers a clearer view of talent they might otherwise overlook. Amplifying that recognition through well-supported pathways can help more learners move toward stronger careers, professional growth, and greater economic stability.