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Site Selection magazine, a key publication for the economic development industry, ranked Arkansas No. 1 in its region for workforce development. Arkansas moved from second to first regionally in the South Central Region, which includes AL, KY, OK, LA, MS, TN, and TX. The Natural State has 51 counties participating in Work Ready Communities with more than 12 hundred supporting employers.

Join the ACT Workforce Summit in Atlanta, Oct. 2-4, to showcase your innovative workforce development strategies that help communities thrive. This unique event brings together a diverse mix of professionals from the ACT Work Ready Communities ecosystem, including state and local workforce developers, talent-focused economic developers, and educators spanning all levels. Together, we'll explore the latest trends and strategies in talent and workforce development, with a focus on creating credentialed career pathways that supply employers with a reliable talent pipeline. Don't miss out – submit your ideas through our Call for Proposals and connect with like-minded professionals!

“Ross Collins is very beneficial and so is the ACT WorkKeys,” said Marynell Harrell, MHS Senior. “It helps you in the future, it teaches you real life problems, and I think that is going to be really helpful as I go through my college career and my career in general.”

Over eighty Meridian High School students received ACT WorkKeys certifications during a special breakfast at the Wildcat Cafe at Ross Collins Career and Technical Center.

GLOW Region businesses, trade unions, contractors, colleges, and organizations launched Glow With Your Hands to provide hands-on demonstrations and activities for students while reinforcing and maintaining industry safety standards.

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.

Work Ready Central Louisiana hosted its 2024 summit recently and KALB-TV was live on the scene to interview Keisha Hamilton and Lafe Jones.

A collaboration between the Ascension Parish School Board and River Parishes Community College hopes to begin to reverse poverty trendlines. The college and school system have renovated a previously unused wing of Donaldsonville High School into a technical training center for the school's students and, in the evenings well after students leave, into a high school equivalency and job readiness training center for the city's adults.

Episode 47 features Tonia Saunders, who leads both workforce and economic development in Lucas County, Ohio. This Work Ready Community (WRC) integrated the two disciplines, emphasizing the role of collaboration with neighboring counties to enhance the region's competitiveness. Tonia shares insights on tackling workforce challenges, leveraging community partnerships and innovative strategies to serve the manufacturing and healthcare industries effectively. The episode highlights the success of Lucas County's WRC initiative, showcasing how it drives economic growth and improves employment opportunities through targeted employer engagement and comprehensive support services. This conversation underlines the importance of synergy between workforce and economic development in achieving regional prosperity.

Jennings High schoolers are collaborating with teachers, faculty and staff to improve test scores. JHS Principal Selena Gomes said she's doing whatever it takes to help students prepare for college and/or the workforce after graduating. While many students struggle with standardized tests, Gomes said she recognizes that every student has individual needs.

Joe T. Wood, special projects coordinator at Hardeman County Schools in Tennessee, sees opportunity amid what he calls the "fourth industrial revolution." He spoke with ACT at the 2023 Workforce Summit about how skills-based hiring addresses changing workforce demands.

As Joe explains, skills-based hiring shifts the focus to employers, offering a more deliberate and transparent approach to assessing essential skills. He also gives insight into the need for a more flexible and responsive approach to career readiness to address the reality that “every kid’s going to have a career.”

Reflecting on obstacles and opportunities, Joe underscores the importance of rethinking traditional models to prepare students for diverse career pathways.

Hear all of Joe’s valuable insights in the video.