News

Textron Aviation has opened a new Career & Learning Center at its East Wichita campus at Beech Factory Airport. While the company has long had such a training facility there, the new center has been expanded to 75,000 sq ft and serves as an application, hiring, onboarding, and training facility. The state of Kansas awarded Textron Aviation $3.325 million to help build the $40 million facility.

Prospective employees start at the Career Zone, where applicants get help from recruiters with resume creation, role matching, and job applications. At the Pre-Employment Zone, candidates are onboarded and undergo WorkKeys skills testing and new-hire training.

Apple Tree Acres of Bergen, NY (in the WRC at Genesee County) supports the growth of businesses in wastewater equipment and agricultural machinery manufacturing, logistics, technology and food production. Representatives from Liberty Pumps, Craft Cannery and Oxbo share how Genesee County, the Genesee County Economic Development Center, and the Town and Village of Bergen have supported their growth. All three employers are WRC WorkKeys Supporters.

This significant investment extends beyond the bounds of infrastructure. It is a strategic, mission-driven commitment to elevating lives through access to high-quality training, education, and supportive services. The expansion is designed to meet the rising demand for workforce-ready individuals while addressing the persistent gaps in employment equity across rural communities in the Mississippi Delta.

Since 2013, the Work Ready Communities (WRC) program has trained hundreds of workforce ecosystem leaders to launch more than 570 locations across dozens of states. As new leaders emerge to fill retirements or other vacancies for local WRC steering teams, the Boot Camp training now features rapid self-paced onboarding.

Boot Camp learners are the local leaders who invest time and energy to shape a North Star focus to link, level, and leverage for success. Leaders gain an understanding of common criteria and language to build support across regional ecosystem partnerships.

The Texarkana Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce its continuation in partnering with local schools and businesses to increase awareness of the National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) and its benefits. The Chamber’s number one goal is to aid in the creation of a work-ready community by equipping individuals with the skills and credentials necessary to succeed in the workforce. The Chamber is diligently working toward its’ goal of becoming a certified work-ready community (WRC).

During the March meeting of the Developing Howard County board, executive director Vanessa Weeks reported Howard County has been re-certified as Work Ready. Howard County was certified Work Ready in 2023 and must be re-certified every two years.

A group of Jackson (MS) Public School District students is gaining on-the-job training through the inaugural Nissan JPS Career Development Center Spring Internship Program. Jackson Public Schools, Nissan North America, and the Central Mississippi Planning and Development District are partners in the program. The internship is exclusively available to JPS students enrolled at CDC.

WAFB-TV showcases River Parishes Community College in the Work Ready Community at Ascension Parish. In an exclusive interview, Chancellor Quintin Taylor explained how RPCC played a major role in Donaldsonville securing automaker Hyundai’s first low-carbon steel plant in the nation.

Workforce has been cited in Site Selection Magazine’s annual survey of corporate consultants as a top factor in site selection decisions for several years in a row. The 2025 Workforce Guide by Conway Data Inc. is a special report that offers insight and analysis into best workforce development practices and alliances around the U.S.

ACT's Work Ready Communities program thanks Site Selection for its research partnership for the betterment of workforce development. Local WRCs are found frequently throughout this showcase of excellence.

Moniteau Presiding Commissioner Joe Lutz and 2nd District Commissioner Jerry Volkart recently accepted the Work Ready Community Award on behalf of Moniteau County. In Cooper County, Presiding Commissioner George Monk, Eastern District Commissioner Charlie Melkersman, and Western District Commissioner Danny Larm accepted the award for their county’s accomplishments.