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Douglas County, Nebraska

Doug Mader, WNCC workforce development director, talks with members of the Western Nebraska Economic Development Committee about the nationally recognized Work Ready Community Certificate Project. It provides a general skills level assessment of potential employees for when employers consider hiring new people that meet their particular needs

Work-based or “on-the-job” learning through apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs benefits learners from all education and socioeconomic levels and put them on a fast track to high-wage, nationally portable careers. In this episode of “Ready for Work," we talk to leaders in postsecondary education and business about the use of work-based learning programs at the community level and the personal and economic results that can be gained from creating such programs.

“The Career Placement Pilot was a goal we all agreed could benefit our community – a win-win for both businesses and jobseekers,” Pierce said. “GFDC has often heard from local businesses that they have felt the absence of a Workforce Development Office since the Nebraska Department of Labor withdrew from our community several years ago. Now, this Career Placement Pilot is making in-person connections of work-ready jobseekers to our employers.”

Since 2007, more than 1,000 Omaha residents, mostly African American and mostly low-income, have landed jobs in the growing manufacturing and tech sectors through targeted employment training in the city’s worst neighborhoods. The training began popping up after a local newspaper series noted that the booming Midwestern city had some of the most alarming racial disparities in the country, embarrassing civic leaders and politicians into action

In the past year, since the free test was first offered in the Omaha metro area, more than 500 people have taken it and received the certificate, which is issued by ACT. The organization also produces the ACT test, which measures college readiness.