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Each September, states, communities and workforce development boards across the country join together to recognize the contributions of workforce professionals and highlight events and initiatives which support job seekers and employers. ACT Work Ready Communities adds its voice to the celebration with more than 500 participating locations. Thank you to local workforce systems that power the recovery and prepare for the future.

With so much business interest coming to the Hoosier state from all over the world, communities around the state are getting preemptive by giving them ready-made places to move into. Spec buildings are going up all over the place this year in the hopes of luring job creators and their investments. One of those highlighted is an industrial park in New Castle that's part of the Henry County WRC.

An updated workforce development report from the Kansas Chamber of Commerce advises leaders on several talent development and attraction targets. In the Adult Education section, Chamber officials advised expanding on the current eleven counties that participate in WRC.

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®.

Rolla job seekers between the ages of 14-24 now have the opportunity to gain virtual work experience through The Career Club. Individuals will earn $11 an hour while participating in the virtual training and transition to a minimum wage of $12 an hour following work experience placement. 

Copiah-Lincoln Community College’s Workforce Education division recently graduated 13 from the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) non-credit training program. Enrollees began the six-month training program in February and now have the necessary skills to provide both clinical and administrative support to a wide range of healthcare providers. A High School Diploma or High School Equivalency/GED is required for enrollment. Participants must also take the ACT WorkKeys Assessment and earn a silver level or greater National Career Readiness Certificate. 

Wayne County has earned its fourth recertification as a Work Ready Community. According to Nicole Brown Darden, Wayne Business and Industry Center director of training and development for soft skills, a third or more of the county’s eligible workforce has taken the WorkKeys NCRC test and more than 100 Wayne County employers recognize the credential.

Berkeley County residents interested in growing their qualifications for manufacturing jobs can apply for scholarships for the ManuFirst SC program beginning soon. ManuFirstSC participants learn essential safety policies, communication best practices, quality standards, production processes and maintenance awareness. All successful graduates receive an OSHA-30 card and Yellow Belt Lean Six-Sigma certification. The course also includes preparation and testing for additional certifications. Bronze WorkKeys NCRC encouraged.

“CSM will not only offer the WorkKeys^®curriculum that has been designated by our business champions as a necessity, we will now also serve as a recognized ACT^®WorkKeys^®NCRC^®testing site,” explained CSM Continuing Education and Workforce Development Associate Vice President Ellen Flowers-Fields. “Our work in bringing this designation to our region is one more example of how CSM’s serves as an economic engine in Southern Maryland and demonstrates our commitment to improve our students’ skills and wages.”