Viewing all News for: Chester County, Tennessee

ACT empowers learners by removing barriers and creating pathways to success through programs like fee waivers, scholarships, and grants. In FY2025, we supported 477K students, 210K fee waivers, 27 scholarships, and 54 grants nationwide. Learn more in the 2025 Impact Report.

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.

Joe T. Wood, special projects coordinator at Hardeman County Schools in Tennessee, sees opportunity amid what he calls the "fourth industrial revolution." He spoke with ACT at the 2023 Workforce Summit about how skills-based hiring addresses changing workforce demands.

As Joe explains, skills-based hiring shifts the focus to employers, offering a more deliberate and transparent approach to assessing essential skills. He also gives insight into the need for a more flexible and responsive approach to career readiness to address the reality that “every kid’s going to have a career.”

Reflecting on obstacles and opportunities, Joe underscores the importance of rethinking traditional models to prepare students for diverse career pathways.

Hear all of Joe’s valuable insights in the video.

The Southwest Region of Tennessee, in conjunction with The National Rural Education Association and the Tennessee Board of Regents, has developed the Career Resource Network to help strengthen economic development in rural communities within the region. This regional digital portal provides one-stop access to resources and tools for school, staff, parents, and students in Chester, Henderson, Decatur and Perry regions.

Episode 16 of the Ready for Work podcast features the Southwest Tennessee Workforce Readiness Collaborate. The group just landed a first-of-its-kind grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to comprehensive regional interagency approach to help bridge the skills gap and connect Rural Workforce Development, Education with Economic Development.