Viewing all News for: Jefferson County, Arkansas

Site Selection Magazine's November edition includes a dozen location spotlights that include WorkKeys NCRC growth trends to demonstrate workforce quality. Features include Kansas, the Dakotas, Virginia, Nebraska, New York, Mississippi, Washington, and Wyoming.

The Delta Regional Authority (DRA) recently awarded approximately $7 million toward 25 workforce development projects supporting economic development and prosperity throughout the lower Mississippi River Delta and Alabama Black Belt regions. Together, the grants impact 62 participating Work Ready Communities. WRC locations funded include 1 from Alabama, 8 from Arkansas, 4 from Louisiana, 12 from Mississippi, 7 from Missouri, and 5 from Tennessee.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson said the No. 1 question he gets in recruiting private industry to Arkansas is how is industry going to get a workforce. The 10 counties in the Southeast Arkansas Economic Development District have become certified as ACT Work Ready Communities, state and district officials announced Wednesday.

"What you have done has allowed us to make the case that we have the workforce that is trained [and] ready to go," the Republican governor told more than 50 officials from southeast Arkansas at the state Capitol. "We know exactly their levels of expertise. They are certified, and we can make the case that southeast Arkansas is ready to do business and ready to receive a new investment of industry."

Central Arkansas high school students have the chance to earn a work readiness certificate before they graduate, and the unique test can not only get graduates hired but also paid a higher wage.

The Arkansas Division of Workforce Services has a new Assistant Director. Eddie Thomas previously served as Workforce Development Director at the Southeast Arkansas Planning and Development District in Pine Bluff.  Thomas is set to lead the Employment Assistance Unit, which governs statewide WIOA programming and local workforce board activities. Under Eddie's leadership, all ten southeast counties are now participating in Work Ready Communities.