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Pottawatomie County officials hit the New Year with one goal checked off in their comprehensive plan to create a competitive workforce by becoming an ACT Work Ready Community, and Shawnee Countys GO Topeka is putting together a plan to achieve that same designation.

Use of the certificate sends a message of encouragement to people who might otherwise think poorly of their employment possibilities. The message: Heres a path forward to help you understand your skill level, address shortcomings as needed and connect with potential employers.

The Pottawatomie County Economic Development Corporation (PCEDC) has worked with local community leaders, educators and employers to certify Pottawatomie county as an ACT Work Ready Community.

he Pottawatomie County Economic Development Corporation (PCEDC) has worked with local community leaders, educators and employers to certify Pottawatomie county as an ACT Work Ready Community. The ACT website shows that Pottawatomie County is the third county in the state to join over 140 certified counties in the nation.

Bianca Johnson, job seeker, is adding a new page to her job applications: the ACT National Career Readiness Certificate. Johnson, 45, a college graduate, earned the nationally recognized certificate this month after completing a three-hour test that measures reading comprehension, applied math and other skills.

Hailed as "one of the most significant and valuable programs we have ever provided to businesses," Adams County Economic Development Corporation (ACEDC) President Robin Fitzpatrick encourages area business leaders to learn more about ACT WorkKeys,

The Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama just received a new certification that will help people better prepare to enter the workforce. The Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama says they are the first metro community in the entire state to meet all ACT work ready qualifications. ACT Work Ready provides standardized tests that see what a person's work

He said one, a veteran who had been out of school for 10 years, is now taking standard community college courses. He said one of the first to enroll was a student who had earned the 24 credits needed to graduate but failed parts of the exit exam, and had been out of school for three or four years. His scores on the ACT WorkKeys exams earned him the

Senior Hunter Houston, a Ridge View High School BioHealth Sciences magnet student, scored at the Platinum level on the ACT WorkKeys assessment. ACT WorkKeys assessments include both cognitive (hard) and non-cognitive (soft) skills tests that enable students to determine the skill levels they have achieved,

Edgecombe Community College is giving job applicants an edge through a program that certifies essential workplace skills. Historically, job applicants with solid educations have a leg up in the process. But in todays job market, a degree may not be enough, said J. Lynn Cale, associate vice president of instruction at ECC.