ACT® Workkeys vs ACT® – Preparing Your Students

High school students take many paths after graduation. Some head straight to college, others into the workforce or military, and many explore career and technical education (CTE) opportunities. As educators, it’s important to support every student, no matter where their future leads.

Two assessments often come up in these conversations: the ACT® and ACT® WorkKeys. Both are offered by ACT®, Inc., and while they may sound similar, they serve distinct purposes and require different strategies for preparation. Let’s break down the differences, how each is used, and how your school or district can support students with both.

What is the ACT®?

• Nationally recognized college entrance exam that assesses students in English, math, reading, and science.
• It’s used primarily for college admissions, but in many states, it also serves as a high school accountability measure.
• School and district leaders often look to ACT® results not just as a sign of individual student readiness, but as a marker of overall school performance.
• The ACT® is usually offered statewide in the spring, and many districts provide additional test dates for retakes or practice. Because of its role in accountability, ensuring that all students are well-prepared is a key priority for educators.

How Progress Learning Supports ACT® Prep

Progress Learning offers a premium ACT® prep solution that is built to align with state standards and accountability frameworks. Our benchmark assessments and robust item analysis help educators pinpoint areas for growth, while students benefit from targeted, adaptive practice across all ACT® domains.

What is the ACT® WorkKeys Assessment?

The ACT® WorkKeys assessment was built to measure career readiness skills. It’s less about academic content and more about real-world application. Students are tested on skills like applied math, workplace documents, and graphic literacy which are skills that employers value and are critical for job success.

Students who score well on WorkKeys can earn a National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC), a credential recognized by employers across the country. In many states, WorkKeys plays a role in accountability as an alternative path for graduation or as part of a college and career readiness indicator. WorkKeys is often embedded into CTE, work-based learning programs, or college and career readiness courses, making it a powerful option for students whose strengths may not be reflected in traditional academic tests.

How Progress Learning Supports ACT® WorkKeys Prep

Progress Learning provides WorkKeys-aligned practice designed to help students develop and strengthen the applied skills needed to succeed on the test and in the workforce. With content that mirrors the structure and rigor of the WorkKeys assessment, schools can easily integrate our solution into CTE courses, advisory periods, or CCR programs. Real-time data and performance reporting allow educators to monitor progress and adjust instruction to meet students where they are.

How Preparation Differs and Why It Matters

Supporting both ACT® and WorkKeys preparation is essential to meeting the diverse needs of your student body. College-bound students benefit from rigorous ACT® practice aligned to core content. Meanwhile, students pursuing technical careers or employment need targeted support in workplace skills.

Timing and Frequency

The ACT® is typically administered once or twice during the school year, with most schools offering a spring testing window. WorkKeys, on the other hand, is more flexible, often offered through CCR programs or CTE tracks and tied to credentialing schedules.

Content and Focus

ACT® prep focuses on academic mastery: reading comprehension, algebra, data analysis, and more. WorkKeys focuses on applying those skills in real-world settings, like interpreting charts or solving practical math problems.

Integrating Prep into the School Day

ACT® prep can be embedded in subject-area instruction or supported through study plans and independent practice. In contrast, WorkKeys prep often works best in CCR courses, advisory periods, or even as part of CTE pathways. Schools benefit from a flexible, blended approach that fits their schedule and student needs.

Progress Learning Supports Every Student Path

We believe in meeting students where they are, whether they’re headed to college, the workforce, the military, or beyond. In addition to ACT® and WorkKeys, we offer practice tools and benchmarks for:

• • AP® (Advanced Placement)
  • ASVAB® (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery)
  • HiSET (High School Equivalency Test)
  • SAT® (Scholastic Aptitude Test)
  • TSIA (Texas Success Initiative Assessment)
    

Our mission is to help schools improve student outcomes, no matter which path they take. Interested in our ACT®, Workkeys® or other College and Career Readiness product? Get in touch below to see the Progress Learning platform.