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Morgan County, Alabama

The number and percentage of Alabama public high school seniors who are workforce-ready has continued to rise since the pandemic according to an analysis by the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama (PARCA). This passing percentage marks the highest number achieved since 2019. While the report indicates students are nearing the workforce readiness percentages prior to the pandemic, there was a sizable difference in the number of students who took the test in 2023 compared to 2019.

Unprecedented skill shortages in labor markets across the U.S. often intersect with a desire for Justice System reform that provides pathways for Returning Citizens to thrive. When optimized in a regional workforce ecosystem, Returning Citizens are a high-performing group of working learners to boost a regional talent pipeline. In a two-part series, ACT's Ready for Work podcast examines a Five P's framework for re-entry success in Episode 32.  Life-Changing Asset and Skill-Based Solutions iAlternative Sentencing for Episode 31 showcases the success drug court approach in Morgan County, AL.

There’s a deep disconnect between local economic development efforts and the education system in Alabama. The state wants to add 500,000 high-skilled employees by 2025 to meet industry labor demands. To bridge the gap, one-fourth of Alabama counties are now using career readiness testing to connect labor to regional demand. Hundreds of employers are supporting the initiative, and more than 10,000 residents have earned the ACT® WorkKeys® National Career Readiness Certificate®.

Huntville, Alabama's public housing community of Northwoods has a new Adult Ed Center in partnership with the housing authority and Drake College.  The center offers digital literacy, GED classes, Ready to Work training, and WorkKeys assessments.