News


Oswego County Graduate Riley Wood Shares Success Story at ACT Work Ready Community Designation Event December 05, 2024

Riley Wood, a 2023 graduate of Oswego County P-TECH, is making waves in the workforce as the youngest Regional Operator hired by National Grid. In this role, Wood oversees a distribution grid delivering high-voltage transmission to more than 566,000 customers across Central New York, showcasing the critical skills and expertise gained during their educational journey.
 
At a recent ceremony celebrating Oswego County as the first ACT Work-Ready Community in the northeastern United States, Wood spoke about the pivotal role of the National Career Readiness Credential (NCRC), earned through the ACT WorkKeys assessment, in transitioning from school to career.
 
“The applied schooling I received through P-TECH, including the ACT WorkKeys assessment, is the sole reason for my success in finding, obtaining and succeeding in my career,” Wood shared. “Not only does the ACT credential grab attention from employers, but it also helped me prepare for aptitude tests, which were key to landing my current job.”

Conquering New Dimensions of Workforce Challenges for Competitive Economic Development (Podcast) December 05, 2024

The disconnect between skilled workers and employers is wider than ever, with access to affordable housing and childcare now among the top challenges preventing new commercial investment and job creation. Collaborative workforce ecosystems, like those in Work Ready Communities, are uniquely equipped to tackle these issues, according to Chad Chancellor of the Next Move Group. Chad examines two crucial elements to succeed in the post-pandemic reality of economic development - expanding the scope of workforce ecosystem collaboration and enhancing the role of work-based learning in skills-driven pathways.

Hawkins, TN Celebrates WRC Status December 04, 2024

For the fifth consecutive year, Hawkins County has been recognized as an ACT Work Ready Community, a designation that shows potential new employers the county can provide a workforce if they locate here. According to NETWORKS Director of Economic Development Michael Parker the ACT Work Ready designation is an invaluable tool in industrial recruitment to Hawkins County.

“Workforce challenges exist coast to coast, top to bottom, east to west, and the communities that can really show progress in the workforce, such as through this program, are the ones that are really going to excel and make the case for that business to relocate there,” Parker said.

National Survey on Credentials Underway December 04, 2024

Upskill America is conducting a survey to understand how employers of all types (and especially small and mid-sized employers) might value verified credentials and validated skills. Share your thoughts here about where in your talent management approach these innovations might help you, and about what specific data you're looking for in these emerging records.

Shedding Light on Rural STARs November 14, 2024

Despite the economic challenges and demographic shifts facing rural communities, rural STARs have the potential to drive growth and innovation in their communities. By focusing on the unique strengths and challenges of rural STARs, we can build a more inclusive and resilient labor market that benefits both rural workers and the broader economy.

The following report from ACT and Opportunity@Work explores the challenges and opportunities facing rural STARs, while also highlighting the potential of leveraging data-driven tools and STAR-centered workforce initiatives to better support a vital yet often overlooked segment of the U.S. workforce.

Let's Get Ready Campaign Shares ACT Apprenticeship Tips November 07, 2024

Let's Get Ready from the National Governors Association seeks to close gaps in resources for state-level workforce development leaders. NGA will release a roadmap to support Governors and states to drive innovation, bolster capacity to measure what works and what doesn’t, and most importantly, prepare students for successful futures and our economy for greater success. ACT contributed a briefing on apprenticeship and career navigation for students as part of the Let's Get Ready resource collection.

Wyoming Student Shares Impact of Reaching Platinum with NCRC November 05, 2024

The Sheridan Press featured remarks from a recent high school grad that earned the platinum level of the WorkKeys NCRC. Will Betz, a 2024 Clearmont K-12 graduate, earned a platinum National Career Readiness Certificate and began his first semester at Sheridan College. He enjoys the transition, plans to move to dorms, and aims to open a machine or welding shop, appreciating his family’s support throughout the journey.

Associated Electric Cooperatives Celebrates Success of WRC and WorkKeys Job Profiling October 30, 2024

Associated Electric Cooperative Inc. is owned by and provides wholesale power to six regional and 51 local electric cooperative systems in Missouri, northeast Oklahoma and southeast Iowa that serve more than 875,000 customers. Associated Electric was profiled by ACT for 3 positions; Yard Equipment Operator, Auxiliary Operator (Job posted as General Utility) and warehouseman. 

The Show Me State Excels in Work Ready Communities October 30, 2024

The Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development (MDHEWD) was recently recognized at the ACT Workforce Summit in Atlanta, Georgia for having 13 counties maintaining or achieving their Certified Work Ready Community status in the past year.

Missouri currently leads the nation with a total of 99 Certified Work Ready Communities and 112 communities that are participating and working towards certification.

Join the Oswego County WRC Celebration Oct. 29 October 20, 2024

Oswego County is celebrating its status as the first certified “work ready community” in the Northeast! The public is invited to a ribbon-cutting event on Tuesday, Oct. 29 from 6 to 8 p.m. at CiTi BOCES, 179 Co. Rte. 64 in Mexico.

“The best way I can think of to tell the world that Oswego County is ‘ready for business’ is to become the first certified ‘work ready community’ in the Northeast,” said Oswego County Legislator Roy E. Reehil, District 5.