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“The Texarkana region has taken another major step forward toward aligning their education and workforce systems,” says Jerry Kenney, T.L.L Temple Foundation. “As a Certified Work Ready Community, Miller County Arkansas has the partnerships and programs residents need to build essential skills and earn valuable certifications to qualify for high-demand, high-wage jobs in the regional labor market. The Texarkana Chamber of Commerce has been indispensable in mobilizing comprehensive community support for workforce development through ACT WorkKeys, creating more access and opportunity for all ”

Nine students from Pavilion High School completed the ACT® WorkKeys® National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC), connecting them to future careers available in Genesee County and across many industries. Timothy Lonnen, a senior at Pavilion, said the NCRC assessment results showed the career readiness that he and his classmates have put into practice through summer jobs and internships.

“It’s going to be nice for people to put on paper what you know in your head,” said Lonnen, a senior planning whose long-term plan is to start a construction company. “You can have a (standardized testing) score for college, but this will give you a score for real jobs coming out of high school.”

The Corrections Connect Training Program is part of Innovative Accelerated Credentialed Training initiative at Kellogg Community College. It offers 10 seats for participants and focuses on preparing students for the Officer Recruit Training Program with the Michigan Department of Corrections. 

Additionally, participants can earn the WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate and eight college credits, including four credits for completing CRJU 130: Introduction to Corrections.

Northeast Arkansas News, the local CBS and Fox affiliate, showcased Sharp County's attainment of the Work Ready Communities designation.

Now that Sharp County has received the certification, all of the Northeast Arkansas Intermodal Region is Work Ready Certified. Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders also recognized Sharp County for the achievement.

“Congratulations to Sharpe County for completing the Act Work Ready Community Program and officially becoming a work ready community,” said Governor Sanders. “Every student should be able to graduate from high school with the necessary skills to enter the job market, regardless of ability.”

“We are so excited to partner with Express Employment and be able to provide this resource to our community. We encourage anybody in the workforce or entering the workforce to explore how the NCRC can benefit you in the process,” says Hillary Cloud, Director of Workforce Development. “As the job market continues to be more and more competitive, this certificate can give you a competitive advantage during the job searching process. We hope to identify more dates in the future to host another Earning Day Event. This first one was a big success! We applaud those individuals who are taking advantage of the resources available to them.”

In the Work Ready Community at Rutherford, TN, Holloway High School celebrates Platinum NCRC earners as part of its high academic achievers.

“Workforce development is one of the most important investments a community can make in its future,” said Shelley Short, President & CEO of the Arkadelphia Alliance and Area Chamber of Commerce. “This certification demonstrates that Clark County is not only prepared to meet the demands of today’s job market but is also deeply committed to building a strong, skilled workforce for the future. We are especially grateful to Henderson State University for its partnership in this effort, along with our employers, community partners, and other local educators who helped make this achievement possible.”

The Governor’s Workforce of the Future Challenge has seven objectives to improve Career Tech Ed programs in the Show-Me State. Gov. Kehoe's policy directs the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development to increase WorkKeys implementation in Missouri high schools to ensure every county is a certified work ready county and promote and expand youth apprenticeship opportunities in both K-12 and postsecondary educational settings.

The Prosperity Cup from Site Selection Magazine is about state-level competitiveness in attracting capital investment projects based on a 10-point index of Prosperity Points that reflect facility announcements, capital investment and new jobs tracked Site Selection’s Conway Projects Database and other factors. One of those points is an index of NCRC's per thousand from ACT WorkKeys and Work Ready Communities.

Textron Aviation has opened a new Career & Learning Center at its East Wichita campus at Beech Factory Airport. While the company has long had such a training facility there, the new center has been expanded to 75,000 sq ft and serves as an application, hiring, onboarding, and training facility. The state of Kansas awarded Textron Aviation $3.325 million to help build the $40 million facility.

Prospective employees start at the Career Zone, where applicants get help from recruiters with resume creation, role matching, and job applications. At the Pre-Employment Zone, candidates are onboarded and undergo WorkKeys skills testing and new-hire training.