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Four work release employees at Dewayne’s Quality Metal Coatings received their ACT National Career Readiness Certificates on Tuesday morning, September 21, 2021. The four honored were Thomas Gutierrez, Joshua Donald, Brien Reynolds, and Phillip Bailey. The Henderson County Sherriff’s Department has been able to provide opportunities for individuals to earn the ACT National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) and earn college credit from Jackson State Community College through collaboration of the Henderson County Chamber of Commerce and Southwest Tennessee Adult Education.

Well-crafted workforce ecosystems optimize workforce supply and demand with careful attention to employers and their skill needs. ACT honors employers during Workforce Development month throughout September. More than 27 thousand employers support the WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate, helping to Screen In working learners in their communities.

Apprenticeships in the US have expanded in recent years in what has been dubbed an “apprenticeship renaissance.” But even though such opportunities continue to grow, rural communities demand greater attention. The expansion of apprenticeship may leave rural communities behind because they face unique obstacles. A new report from the Urban Institute digs deeper on the issue and opportunities for improvement. Two of the four case studies in the report feature Work Ready Community areas in Mississippi and Missouri.

“I’m very thankful to the Richland Foundation grant for providing our students with the opportunity to earn WorkKeys Certifications. The National Career Readiness Certification proves to employers that our students are prepared in applied math, workplace documents, and graphic literacy. Any certification our students can earn will help them secure employment upon completion of our program," according to Dorothy Sharrock, an intervention specialist and GED instructor.

Each week of September during Workforce Development Month, ACT recognizes the importance of the public workforce system. This week ACT honors workforce development partners and their vital role in local workforce ecosystems. The partnerships are essential in more than 500 participating Work Ready Communities to help balance workforce supply and demand.

The Texarkana USA Regional Chamber of Commerce will host their third Engaging Texarkana Conference on September 22, 2021. Breakout topics include, “Financing Your Business Growth,” “WorkKeys and Why it’s Important to Recognize It,” and “The Power of Positivity in the Workplace.” Breakouts will be repeated twice, then lunch will be served. 

Workforce Development Month continues throughout the month of September. This week, ACT salutes workforce development professionals. These teams work locally to ensure community members seeking employment have the resources they need to thrive now and in the future.

Continuing the celebration of Workforce Development Month throughout September, ACT adds its praise for the public workforce system. During COVID-19, the workforce system helped over nine million working learners add to their skills and re-connect with employment. 

The National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP) celebrates the workforce system annually through Workforce Development Professionals Month. NAWDP shared the recent passage of Senate resolution for the September designation.