ACT WRC Boot Camps
- September 9-10, 2020
  New Orleans
- December 2-3, 2020
  New Orleans
ACT’s Ready for Work Podcast
- The Voice of the Workforce Ecosystem
- Learn economic development
  strategies and more
ACT WRC Alumni Calls
- May 27, 2020
- Details will be emailed to POCs
2020 ACT Workforce Summit:
- Save the date: October 26-28
- Memphis, Tennessee
- Call for Proposals starts now.

ACT WRC Boot Camps

September 9-10, 2020
New Orleans
December 2-3, 2020
New Orleans

Apply Now

ACT’s Ready for Work Podcast

The Voice of the Workforce Ecosystem
Learn economic development strategies and more

Subscribe Now

ACT WRC Alumni Calls

May 27, 2020
Details will be emailed to POCs

ACT 2019 Workforce Summit

Save the date: October 26-28
Memphis, Tennessee
Call for Proposals starts now.

Submit a proposal

States with State- or County-Led
ACT^® Work Ready Communities

States with State or County Led ACT Work Ready Communities

About the data on this site.

Wyoming

ACT WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate Total 9,946

Certified Communities0/23

Participating Communities3/23

Jobs Profiled7

Platinum136

Gold2,264

Silver5,617

Bronze1,929

ACT WorkKeys NCRC EARNED STATE RANKINGS

This map shows which states have the highest number of people per capita who have earned the ACT WorkKeys NCRC.
States with the greatest percentage of earners are in dark red.

ACT WorkKeys NCRC Earned State Rankings

Top
1-10
11-20
21-30
31-40
41-50

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What is an ACT^® Work Ready Community?

ACT Work Ready Communities (WRC) empowers states, regions and counties with data, processes and tools that drive economic growth. Participants are leveraging the ACT^® WorkKeys^® National Career Readiness Certificate^® (NCRC^®) to measure and close the skills gap — and building common frameworks that link, align and match their workforce development efforts.

View Video

Total ACT^® WorkKeys^® National Career Readiness Certificates^®

4,946,068

ACT WorkKeys NCRC Levels:

Platinum:129,791
Gold:1,027,840
Silver:2,613,422
Bronze:1,175,015

Participating Counties: 496

Employers Supporting: 26,611

Jobs Profiled: 22,190

Work Ready Communities Boot Camp

ACT offers a performance-driven program WRC leadership teams use to initiate, deploy and drive carefully-tailored efforts that grow the number of counties certified as work ready communities. Learn More

Counties

Counties may engage in the ACT Work Ready Communities program. Any municipality may be accepted into the Boot Camp to build and launch their Work Ready Communities initiative. More on How to Sign Up

Get the latest news

Employers

Employers can be the fuel to drive successful state and county Work Ready Communities initiatives simply by recognizing the ACT^® WorkKeys^® National Career Readiness Certificate^®. And in doing so, they will have a more qualified workforce ready to fill their jobs. Learn more about why employers should engage.

Certify Your Workforce
Hire the Best Applicants

Validate a Job Seeker's WorkKeys NCRC
Workforce Toolkit

Employers recognize the ACT^® WorkKeys^® NCRC^®

View Employer Directory

Recently Certified Counties

Forrest (MS) May, 2020
Harrison (MS) May, 2020
Cross (AR) April, 2020
Jefferson Davis (MS) March, 2020
Tunica (MS) February, 2020
Nottoway (VA) February, 2020
Ashley (AR) February, 2020
Andrew (MO) February, 2020
Lee (AR) January, 2020
Greene (AL) January, 2020

Resources

Research

Economic Development

By achieving certified ACT's Work Ready Communities status, counties are demonstrating they have a robust workforce development effort aligned to their economic development needs resulting in:

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

developers use an on-demand reporting tool to market the quality of their workforce

What Others Are Saying

"Having been in site selection for many years, it has always been difficult to ensure my clients that there is available, stable and reliable workforce in a community. However, in the last few years when I see that a county is ACT Work Ready I know that they are following the steps in planning for the current and future workforce. Therefore, our tendency at FCG is to look strongly at ACT Work Ready Communities for new site locations. I would encourage all communities to seek that status."

Mr. Deane C. Foote, CEcD
President & CEO
Foote Consulting Group, LLC

"As a national site selector, one of the few factors that are critical to almost every company and project is workforce. It is imperative for communities to focus on knowing and improving their existing workforce as well as retaining and attracting high quality talent. ACT Work Ready Communities are setting themselves apart by intentionally developing their local workforce in support of their existing companies while positioning themselves to attract new companies."

Robby Burgan
Manager, Location Strategies
Evergreen Advisors

"ACT Work Ready is truly the best workforce development marketing tool I have seen."

Chad Chancellor
Co-Founder/CEO
The Next Move Group
New Orleans, Louisiana

"Outstanding program that helps business recruit and retain qualified workers. Congrats on the milestone. As a corrorlary would recommend that all counties become work ready certified.

Dennis Donovan
Director Global Site Selection
Wadley, Donovan, Gutshaw Consulting

"Jonesboro and Craighead County are a great example of what’s right with Arkansas. Becoming an ACT Work Ready Community will make Jonesboro and Craighead County even stronger."

Governor Asa Hutchinson
Arkansas

"One of the main reasons that they decided to remain in Pottawatomie County was because of the strong work force and the county’s commitment to workforce readiness through ACT WorkReady program. Pottawatomie County is one of only three counties in the state that is Certified Work Ready."

Robert Weimann
Co-Owner, Sarto Countertops

"Being A Work Ready Community Champion allows the ease of hiring the best people, and trust what you hired them to do. It allows me to help match the employees to jobs based on verified skill levels. Finding the candidate who possesses the proper trade skill through the ACT Work Ready Program reduces the overall recruiting, onboarding and training cost. It’s a win-win for all involved."

Tracey Faulkner
Director of Human Resources, R-Tech Tool & Machine, Inc.

How Work Ready Communities are Winning the Growth Game

Download the PDF

Site Selectors and Business are Taking Notice

Site Selection Magazine 2019 Regional Workforce Development Rankings include ACT NCRCs as one of the top 5 components!
Learn More

How does your state stack up?
Site Selection Magazine January 2019 Annual State of the States issue reaches global corporate location decision-makers.

ACT Work Readiness System

See more ACT WorkKeys testimonials on YouTube

ACT WRC Boot Camps

ACT’s Ready for Work Podcast

ACT WRC Alumni Calls

2020 ACT Workforce Summit:

Work Ready Communities Pandemic Response Tools: Get resources to keep your community ready for work!

ACT WRC Boot Camps

ACT’s Ready for Work Podcast

ACT WRC Alumni Calls

ACT 2019 Workforce Summit

States with State- or County-LedACT® Work Ready Communities

ACT WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate Total 252,600

Certified Communities16/67

Participating Communities18/67

Jobs Profiled304

Platinum15,226

Gold46,873

Silver115,536

Bronze74,965

ACT WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate Total 47,890

Certified Communities0/31

Participating Communities0/31

Jobs Profiled46

Platinum530

Gold9,111

Silver26,266

Bronze11,983

ACT WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate Total 8,718

Certified Communities0/15

Participating Communities0/15

Jobs Profiled0

Platinum142

Gold1,789

Silver5,093

Bronze1,694

ACT WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate Total 82,774

Certified Communities15/75

Participating Communities26/75

Jobs Profiled123

Platinum1,805

Gold18,938

Silver46,847

Bronze15,184

ACT WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate Total 15,964

Certified Communities0/58

Participating Communities1/58

Jobs Profiled68

Platinum597

Gold3,007

Silver8,191

Bronze4,169

ACT WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate Total 15,360

Certified Communities1/64

Participating Communities3/64

Jobs Profiled35

Platinum677

Gold2,383

Silver7,790

Bronze4,510

ACT WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate Total 3,127

Certified Communities0/8

Participating Communities0/8

Jobs Profiled9

Platinum59

Gold451

Silver1,722

Bronze895

ACT WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate Total 422

Certified Communities0/3

Participating Communities0/3

Jobs Profiled1

Platinum3

Gold113

Silver250

Bronze56

ACT WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate Total 115,273

Certified Communities0/67

Participating Communities0/67

Jobs Profiled500

Platinum352

Gold21,340

Work Ready Communities Pandemic Response Tools:
Get resources to keep your community ready for work!

States with State- or County-Led
ACT^® Work Ready Communities