News

ACT's 2024 Workforce Summit is pleased to debut joint research with Opportunity at Work, Shedding Light on Rural STARs. The partnership spotlighted the challenges and opportunities for rural workers Skilled Through Alternative Routes (STARs). The report emphasizes economic disparities and slower post-pandemic recovery faced by rural STARs, who make up 65% of the rural workforce. The report also discusses the potential of data-driven tools and initiatives like ACT’s Work Ready Communities to support rural STARs’ economic mobility and address systemic barriers to employment and workforce development.

With a panel of Work Ready Community champions, episode 54 explores innovative strategies and real-world examples of how partnerships between industries, educational institutions, and government agencies are reshaping workforce development. Accelerating Talent Development via Cross Sector Collaboration features panelists from Nebraska, Ohio, and Mississippi in the August 2024 edition of WRC-Live! Discover how these collaborations are breaking down silos, fostering skill growth, and creating a more adaptable and resilient workforce.

Hertford County Public Schools (HCPS) is no longer classified as a low-performing district, according to local education officials. ACT/WorkKeys combined saw a 3.0 percent increase to 28.1 percent, indicating enhanced efforts to equip students with the necessary skills for workplace readiness and college preparedness.

Finding your Workforce – Latino Talent for a Global Economy highlights best practices to leverage the high labor force participation rate of Latinos, projected to be one in five workers by 2031. Deborah Santiago with Excelencia in Education discusses the importance of developing stackable credentials, providing transition services, and connecting Latino talent to employers. Get ready to uncover actionable insights, debunk common myths, and discover best practices to reduce skill shortages.

Walnut Ridge in the Work Ready Community of Lawrence, AR is the winning target for 200 new jobs in the information technology sector. Provalus is driven by a unique purpose: transforming communities from the inside out, as noted on their corporate website. Their mission is to uplift rural towns across the U.S. by identifying and developing untapped talent to deliver technology, business, and support services. They hire and nurture the best and brightest minds, offering an exceptional experience to clients and end-users while stimulating local economies.

The Luminate Finals event empowers youth to see cutting-edge technology, hear from experts, and vote for their favorite startups at NextCorps Luminate, the world's largest optics, photonics, and imaging startup accelerator. As a regional WRC champion, the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce invites local youth to dive into the future as the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs. The event happens Thursday, September 26th at The Theatre at Innovation Square in Rochester and will be broadcast live online.

Workforce Development Month raises awareness about the importance of the workforce industry to a growing national economy. Originally celebrated in May, the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP) moved the designation to September in 2012. Highly skilled workforce development professionals provide critical links between businesses looking to hire jobseekers, and education, training and support resources. 

Richard Portelance from EdGate discusses the importance of data in career planning and the need for a lifelong learning repository to support modern with better integrations of profile details. Identifying the fractured nature of current career tools and the necessity for better visualization of career pathways, Richard highlights the role of educational standards and AI’s potential with machine learning to map career pathways efficiently, empowering both learners and advisors. Learn more with episode 53 of ACT's Ready for Work podcast.

The Greater New Orleans Infrastructure Partnership (GNOIP) – a collaborative effort led by Delgado Community College in partnership with Northshore Technical Community College, Nunez Community College, River Parishes Community College, and Greater New Orleans, Inc. – has been awarded $5.75 million by the Department of Labor’s Strengthening Community College initiative.