News


WRC Use Cases and Impact Scenarios March 21, 2020

WRC Use Cases and Impact Scenarios for use in Work Ready Communities Boot Camp

Podcast: Smart Start Adult Ed Success with WorkKeys Curriculum February 28, 2020

Mississippi’s Smart Start program generates adult education completers with their high school equivalencies, career credentials, and college credit. Brownwyn Robertson is a Project Specialist with Smart Start inside the Office of Adult Education of Mississippi’s Community College Board. ACT’s WorkKeys Curriculum is one of the solutions that pulls together the learning content of Smart Start. Episode 20 of Ready for Work digs deeper into what makes Mississippi Smart Start successful.

WCEAMS wins award for training innovations February 27, 2020

The Washington County Economic Alliance took top honors for its Opportunity Youth Training Program in the Community Economic Development Award from the Mississippi Economic Development Council. Breaking barriers and fulfilling potential is the mission of the program, which equips local youth with training toward career and sector certifications.

Taney County Partnership gives year-end report February 20, 2020

Taney County Partnership is also focusing on Taney County Career Days on March 3-5, (re)certified work ready communities (CWRC), Imagine Branson (newsletter) stories, J1 Visa work  programs, H-2B visa non-immigrant program, Puerto Rico worker recruitment and the Community Workforce Summit on Jan. 28

County Earns Its Third Recertification As Work Ready Community February 19, 2020

Wayne County was named the first Certified Work Ready Community in North Carolina by North Carolina’s Eastern Region in 2013. Since then, Wayne County has just been certified as an ACT Work Ready Community, recently recertified for the third time.

Gilligan sets fuse on Ignite Emporia February 18, 2020

While the housing study is underway, Gilligan said conversations with businesses and industries along with local schools will start identifying ways to better connect area students with careers that keep them in Emporia long after they graduate. Part of that process includes becoming a certified ACT Work Ready Community — a two-year process involving the ACT WorkKeys skills curriculum.

Calling All Innovators! 2020 ACT Workforce Summit Now Accepting Proposals February 10, 2020

The ACT Workforce Summit Planning Committee invites you to submit proposals for the 2020 ACT Workforce Summit, slated for October 26-28 in Memphis, TN. Educators, workforce and economic developers, Work Ready Community leaders, employers, and industry partners will convene during our fourth annual Workforce Summit. Set at the famous Peabody Hotel, the summit will showcase collaborative and innovative practices to help students and job seekers succeed and communities thrive and prosper. We expect diverse attendance at the Summit, representative of secondary education, including career and technical education, post-secondary education, community and technical colleges (credit and non-credit), adult education and literacy programs, state and local workforce development, youth program specialists, vocational rehabilitation, re-entry programs, chambers of commerce, industry associations, employers, and human resource specialists.

School system honored for workforce development achievements February 10, 2020

The Pittsylvania County School system was recognized for its workforce development achievements over the past year at the ACT Workforce Summit in Charlotte, North Carolina, along with 48 other participating ACT Work Ready Communities. The annual summit in October, which brings together experts in business, education, workforce and economic development, including the ACT Work Ready Communities Awards Ceremony and Recognition. During the ceremony, representatives from participating ACT Work Ready Community counties and parishes received awards for becoming certified or completing a new set of goals to maintain their certification. Accepting the awards are Michael Minter, of Henry County; Angela Rigney, of Pittsylvania County; Virginia Byrd and Meagan Owen, of Halifax County; Michelle McDonald and Roger Scott, of Amelia County; and Lee Ann Mahan, of Patrick, Lunenburg and Mecklenburg counties.

Area school districts emphasize WorkKeys February 06, 2020

Columbus Municipal School District Superintendent Cherie Labat said emphasizing workforce readiness skills is becoming as important, if not more important, than pushing the ACT in a district where many students will not attend a four-year college after graduation.

Felon turns life around with Career Readiness Certificate, Crawford County jail program offers chance for detainees to find work February 04, 2020

The CRC program has served over 800 inmates in Crawford County. The county spends roughly $52 per day for every inmate that is housed in the Crawford County Justice Center. The Alternative Sentencing Program has saved Crawford County almost $1 million.