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A common language and common measure for Kentucky Essential Skills.

Kentucky Adult Education, Kentucky Career Centers (Department of Workforce Investment), Corrections and Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) have adopted the WIN Essential Soft Skills Assessment to provide the Kentucky Essential Skills Certificate (KESC) — the first rung in a career ladder of credentials. The KESC, signed by the lieutenant governor and the president of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, is being offered through these agencies statewide to enhance workplace readiness and essential soft skills that employers value most.


Along with the Kentucky Essential Skills Courseware, a blended classroom learning resource, Kentucky students can successfully master the essential skills and be prepared to earn the Kentucky Essential Skills Certificate.

Kentucky Essential Skills @ Work 

The Kentucky Essential Skills Certificate & Courseware

A common language and common measure that employers recognize and value in today's workforce.

While professional attitudes and work habits are essential for the 21st century economy, they are often overlooked in educational programs. Kentucky Essential Skills Courseware helps learners develop and demonstrate attitudes and behaviors that are critical to career and life success. Communicating effectively, conveying professionalism, promoting teamwork and collaboration, and thinking critically to solve problems are key components of the Kentucky Essential Skills comprehensive approach to preparing students for success and providing future employers with workplace-ready candidates. 


Kentucky Essential Skills Courseware uses a blended learning approach that includes classroom, project-based activities and a self-paced, fully narrated online component that provides skills reviews and checks for understanding. A culminating capstone project extends a deeper understanding and mastery of interpersonal skills and work habits. The classroom blended learning materials are designed for learners to work independently or in groups through the four modules.



Kentucky Essential Skills Courseware helps learners develop and demonstrate attitudinal and behavioral skills that are essential to success in the workplace and school. These competencies are a key component of Kentucky Essential Skills comprehensive approach to preparing learners for success and providing future employers with workplace-ready candidates. 


Kentucky Essential Skills Courseware contains four modules: Communicating Effectively, Thinking Critically and Solving Problems, Conveying Professionalism, and Promoting Teamwork and Collaboration. The learner receives an eBadge upon mastery of each module which encourages them to continue to earn all four eBadges and be awarded a courseware certificate of completion.



The Kentucky Essential Skills Certificate is earned by successfully completing an assessment that is composed of questions measuring entry-level work tasks and behaviors, including Communicating Effectively, Conveying Professionalism, Promoting Teamwork and Collaboration, and Thinking Critically and Solving Problems. The assessment items require the learner to choose two answers for each question, the “best” and “worst” answers for handling each situation.


Successfully passing the assessment will earn the Kentucky Essential Skills Certificate. Earning the KESC ensures the job seeker has the interpersonal and problem-solving skills employers demand.

A Kentucky Essential Skills Certificate is a validation of the competencies employers value most.

Sample Kentucky Essential Skills Certificate
Sample Kentucky Career Readiness Credential

KESC — A common language and common measure.

To learn more about Kentucky Essential Skills and all other career readiness solutions, contact WIN Learning at info@winlearning.com or call 888-717-9461.

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