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Eric P. Canada Author, Economic Development for the Team February 26, 2019

Linked In comments by the author

What Are Act Work Ready Communities? February 26, 2019

Arkansas Planning and Development District.
According to ACT, participating counties, regions and states help:
• Business and industry know exactly what foundational skills they need for a productive
workforce – and to easily communicate their needs.
• Individuals understand what skills are required by employers – and how to prepare
themselves for success.
• Policy makers consistently measure the skills gap in a timely manner at the national,
state, and local levels.
• Educators close the skills gap, via tools integrated into career pathways with
stackable industry-recognized credentials.
• Economic developers use an on-demand reporting tool to market the quality of
their workforce.

Van Buren, Alma to take part in NCRC program February 26, 2019

The communities of
Van Buren and Alma will
be officially announcing
their participation in
promoting the National
Career Readiness Certificate
(NCRC) program as
a county-wide effort to
prepare the workforce for
current and future needs.

DoC reentry programs prepare inmates for return to workforce February 25, 2019

Video on re-entry program in MO

Innovative re-entry programs show signs of success February 25, 2019

Employer-led ex-offender programs have already seen signs of success.

One such program began in 2015 when Jacobs piloted an idea that Missouri corrections officials had never tried before: offering a standardized employment readiness test to a group of 18 inmates who would soon be released from the Algoa Correctional Center in Jefferson City. The test was ACT’s WorkKeys assessment, which is used by thousands of companies around the world and measures skills like applied math, graphic literacy, locating information and critical thinking.

Innovative re-entry programs show signs of success February 22, 2019

Having a WorkKeys credential helps put ex-offender on a path to success and assures employers that the skills a candidate brings to a role outweigh perceived risks. When paired with the training and professional development opportunities available during incarceration, inmates can upskill and gain industry certifications that help them land good jobs when they return to the workforce

WXXV-TV: Hancock County MS Earns WRC Accreditation February 22, 2019

Hancock County is the first Mississippi coastal county to earn the Work Ready Community Accreditation through ACT. For two years, the Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission teamed with school districts and board of supervisors to earn the WRC Accreditation. Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission CEO Bill Cork said, “What they know now is based on their national career test ready certification, how they will fit into a career in technical workforce.”

Despite gains in tech, Kansas City and Missouri face severe workforce shortage February 22, 2019

The Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry this week released a report, Workforce 2030, outlining a concerning look at the future of the Missouri economy. The solution the report offers is a series of new and expanded workforce development proposals to attract workers to the state.

Missouri Enterprise partners with a correctional facility to grow the workforce February 22, 2019

Jimmy Story, Missouri Enterprise Business Programs Manager that serves the state’s agriculture growers and producers, recently attended a graduation ceremony for eight individuals who completed a workforce training program and hope to soon be employed following the completion of their time at the Southeast Correctional Center in Charleston, Mo.

Reentry program helping former prisoners discover their worth and find jobs February 22, 2019

A job skills-based inmate reentry program launched by Rolla leadership team of the Central Region Workforce Development Board is changing lives across Missouri and looks to further expand across the state. In less than two years it has quadrupled in size and achieved a success rate of 87 percent. The progr