or
Buncombe, North Carolina
Buncombe County is a participating Work Ready Community that is actively engaged in earning their certified status.
Showing: Jan 1, 2012 to Jul 31, 2026
Goals updated only for participating counties
94 %
of goals attainedProgress Towards Goals
Buncombe is actively participating in the Work Ready program. To become a Certified Work Ready Community, they must prove their ongoing commitment to developing a thriving economy for employers and employees. Requirements include:
- Having economic development advocates receive training at a Work Ready Bootcamp.
- Help members of the community's current, emerging and transitioning workforce earn National Career Readiness Certificates.
- Generate support among private and public employers in the community for hiring people who have earned an NCRC.
ACT WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate [NCRC]
| Workforce | Total NCRC |
Bronze NCRC |
Silver NCRC |
Gold NCRC |
Platinum NCRC |
|
| Emerging | High School | 8473 | 1683 | 4061 | 2018 | 711 |
| College | 110 | 16 | 50 | 38 | 6 | |
| Current | Private | 528 | 62 | 244 | 181 | 41 |
| Public | 305 | 82 | 156 | 55 | 12 | |
| Transitioning | Adult Education | 53 | 12 | 28 | 8 | 5 |
| Unemployed | 904 | 205 | 493 | 172 | 34 | |
| Recent Veteran | 14 | 0 | 6 | 0 | + | |
| Workforce category not identified | 4262 | 497 | 660 | 520 | 454 | |
| Totals | 12511 | 2557 | 5704 | 2992 | 1265 | |
| Workforce | Total NCRC |
|||||
| Emerging | High School | 8473 | 1683 | 4061 | 2018 | 711 |
| College | 110 | 16 | 50 | 38 | 6 | |
| Current | Private | 528 | 62 | 244 | 181 | 41 |
| Public | 305 | 82 | 156 | 55 | 12 | |
| Transitioning | Adult Education | 53 | 12 | 28 | 8 | 5 |
| Unemployed | 904 | 205 | 493 | 172 | 34 | |
| Recent Veteran | 14 | 0 | 6 | 0 | + | |
| Workforce category not identified | 4262 | 497 | 660 | 520 | 454 | |
| Totals | 12511 | 2557 | 5704 | 2992 | 1265 | |
The table above is a detailed breakdown of the same ACT WorkKeys NCRC data presented in the upper right box on this page and represents ACT WorkKeys NCRCs earned or improved throughout the community. All ACT WorkKeys NCRC data is updated monthly.
+ Value less than 4
ACT WorkKeys NCRCs Earned
Showing: Jan 1, 2012 to Jul 31, 2026
| Workforce | Goals | Actual NCRC |
|---|---|---|
| ✓ Emerging | 355 | 8583 |
|
✓
Current |
98 | 833 |
| Transitioning | 1038 | 964 |
| Workforce category not identified | 2131 | 2131 |
| Workforce | Goals | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| Employers Supporting | 201 | 174 |
Improved ACT NCRC
| To/From | Bronze | Silver | Gold | Platinum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Not Earned | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bronze | 4 | 0 | 1 | |
| Silver | 8 | 0 | ||
| Gold | 1 | |||
Employers in Buncombe County recognize or recommend the ACT WorkKeys NCRC
Charter Communications
- Buncombe County Schools
- The Biltmore Company
Goodwill Industries of Northwest NC
- Tar Heel Capital Corporation dba Wendy's
Restaurants First Citizens Bank
- Getting Back to the Basics
- Virtelle Hospitality LLC
White Labs
- The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club of
Buncombe County - Southern Concrete Materials
- YMCA of Western North Carolina
- Brand Plant LLC dba Kudzu Brands
- Southeastern Container Inc
- Mathis Electronics
- Amcor Flexibles Asheville
- Urban Orchard Cider Co. and Bar
- Parameter Generation & Control Inc.
- Equilibar
- Doug Jones Consulting
- Black Mountain Machine and Tool
- East Fork Pottery
- Simbly
- Hampton Inn & Suites Asheville Biltmore
Village - Range Urgent Care
Does your business support job applicants with an ACT WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate?
Learn Why It’s Important (PDF) Join The List Denotes this employers recommends job candidates have a Workkeys Certificate. Other employers recognize when job candidates hold a certificate.
