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Ready far College and Ready for Work: Same AND Different? Efforts to facilitate the transition between secondary and postsecondary education, as well as align postsecondary education to job skill requirements, have gained momentum in recent years with a universal goal of preparing individuals for their unique journey through education and work along a K- Career continuum. In 2006, ACT released Ready for College and Ready for Work, Same or Different ?, a comparison of student performance on two ACT assessments: ACT WorkKeys ", which measures work readiness, and the ACT'' test, which measures college readiness? The study found that the levels of readiness in reading and mathematics needed to succeed in college -level courses without remediation were comparable to those needed to learn jab - specific skills in workforce training programs. Within that context, high school students were found to deed comparable levels of reading and mathematics, regardless of their post -high school plans.' While helpful, the findings from Ready for College and Ready for Work — concluding that the levels of reading and mathematics readiness required for college and career are similar —do not address all questions about college and career readiness, or work readiness. The benchmarked academic quantitative goals for college readiness are well - established, valid predictors of post -high school academic demands." The findings do not address the importance of job- specific skills, 6 WORK READINESS STANDARDS AND BENCHMARKS above and beyond foundational skills, that are crucial in matching an individual with a target job. While cognitive skills are of undisputed importance for both college and careers, as well as for success in a specific job, we also know that a lifetime of success depends on other factors, such as behavioral skills and the development of career goals.' Whether it is the first job in high school or the tenth job along a 20 -year career, an individual has a range of ways to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to get a good job. Pathways include a traditional college degree, on-the-job training, work experience, or a certificate program leading to an occupational certification. These multiple pathways are not considered to be mutually exclusive, and they have one common denominator: individuals need to acquire portable foundational skills to be successful in any job along a career pathway, and they need to acquire specific occupational skills that will allow them to differentiate themselves in a competitive job market. Without the necessary education and training credentials needed for a career, including academic degrees as well as skill certifications, mostjob seekers would not be considered for jobs that are in high demand. Instead, they risk following a downward spiral and dropping out of the job market entirely. F -2 Page 97