NE Career Readiness Standards
Nebraska Career Readiness Standards are employability skills required by employers. Every person needs these transferable skills to be successful at school, at work and in life.
What do you need to know?
Nebraska Career Readiness Standards identified by Nebraska employers, consider them essential skills to career success. Career development is intentional about teaching these skills with increasing complexity and relevance, as students progress in career maturity.
This set of skills support individuals for transitions in life. They are transferable to any career and many other environments outside of the workplace. Every Nebraska student, regardless of background, interests or intent after graduation, need these skills.
Nebraska Career Readiness Standards apply to education too. Educators at all levels are planning opportunities for student to develop these skills to increase learning achievement. The Nebraska Department of Education is aligning career readiness standards with all core academics such as math, language arts, social studies and science.
- Applied appropriate academic and technical skills
- Communicates effectively and appropriately
- Contributes to employer and community success
- Makes sense of problems and perseveres in solving them
- Uses critical thinking
- Demonstrates innovation and creativity
- Models ethical leadership and effective management
- Works productively in teams and demonstrates cultural competency
- Utilizes technology
- Manages personal career development
- Attends to personal and financial well-being
Learning Progressions and Indicators for NE Career Readiness Standards
Career development begins at an early age. NCE offers Learning Progressions & Indicators for Nebraska Career Readiness Standards starting from early elementary through postsecondary. This comprehensive booklet of standards, progressions and indicators will help with program planning at all developmental stages.
Curriculum Resources

ENGAGE! is a middle school career development curriculum designed for students to learn to use career assessments, explore careers with the Nebraska Career Education Model, develop Nebraska Career Readiness Standards and create a PLP-Personal Learning Plan. Learn more at: https://www.education.ne.gov/schoolcounseling/Engage/

Habitudes for NE Career Readiness Skills are a set of innovative lessons for high school students to develop career readiness. Learn more at: https://www.education.ne.gov/nce/habitudes-for-career-ready-students/
Career readiness skills are transferable!
Career readiness skills are positive assets to have in a variety of places:
- At home for positive family dynamics
- At school for a positive learning environment
- At workplaces for career success