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Washington County, Mississippi

More and more industries and college technical training programs require employees to take the national WorkKeys test, which assesses a person’s readiness for employment in different types of jobs. In response to this demand, more and more communities are moving to become “work ready” communities

Video describes steps to sign up to take ACT WorkKeys/NCRC in Washington County, MS.  Part of Work Ready Communities.

Washington County community organizations are helping expand the ACT Work Ready Communities program to help more residents and businesses benefit.

The Work Ready program, which was launched by Washington County Economic Alliance in January 2016, is designed to increase the county’s attractiveness to industries, increase the number of local jobs and streamline hiring processes by testing and certifying residents’ job skills.

Up until now, WCEA was the only community organization in Washington County working to test residents and create job profiles. However, that changed Monday with the start of the school year.

Tarrinasha Jones, director of Greenville Technology Center, a part of the Greenville Public School District, said high school students from area schools will have the opportunity to participate in a two-year Manufacturing Basic Skills course that ties into the Work Ready program.

In January 2016, the Washington County Economic Alliance embarked on a mission to implement the ACT Work Ready program and get the county certified as a Work Ready Community. 

After a year of hard work, the WCEA achieved that goal, and in January 2017, Washington County became one of five certified counties in Mississippi by testing 571 residents with the ACT Work Keys exam.

Recently, Cary Karlson, executive director of the county’s economic alliance, was honored for the hard work he and his team have put in to the Work Ready program by being named an ACT Workforce Champion.

Washington County Economic Alliance has partnered with the Capps Technology Center and Foundation for the Mid South to offer ACT WorkKeys / NCRC scholarships to 11th and 12th graders in Washington County.

​​To Qualify, A Student Must:
• Be between an incoming Junior
and a graduating senior
• Be a student at any school in
Washington County; and,
• Be ready to succeed.

The ACT WorkKeys/NCRC measures foundational skills required for success in the workplace and is used by numerous area employers as a hiring tool.