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Multiple local Chambers of Commerce held a joint ribbon cutting on Friday to celebrate the Lake Area Satellite Missouri Job Center's new location at the State Fair Community College Lake Campus. Two testimonials were shared during the event, both identifying the value of a community becoming “Certified Work Ready” from different perspectives. First attendees heard from Morgan County R-1 Superintendent Matt Unger. Unger shared the value of administering the WorkKeys test from a student’s perspective. He continued sharing how it provides non-college bound graduates and additional credential, a National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC), to graduate with alongside their diploma. Certified Graduates can then utilize their NCRC when applying for employment. The certificate will identify and validate to the employer what skill set that applicant is at.  

Wrapping up Workforce Development Month for September 2021, ACT recognizes the collective impact of the public workforce system. Workforce development touches one in every 12 with information and services. Integrated workforce systems help more than 5 million working learners with the WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate to meet their individual goals.

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.