News

Choosing a career that fits your talents and interests can be a daunting task, especially for high school students and adult learners who want to explore career options that may not require a four-year degree. A new ACT report, The Condition of Career Pathway Readiness in the United States, can help. The report features information on the skills individuals need to succeed in various careers and “career clusters”—groupings of occupations that can be used by education and training providers to help students in educational settings. Its aim is to open opportunities for job seekers and help employers identify high potential candidates within different career pathways.

See video on announcement.

CHEROKEE, Iowa (KTIV) -- Cherokee County, Iowa, will become just the second county in the state to be certified as an ACT Work Ready Community.

The county will earn the distinction on January 22 in a ceremony featuring Governor Kim Reynolds.

The ACT Work Ready Communities Initiative helps cities identify skill gaps in the area

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.

Leaders from across Jackson County today took a moment to celebrate what they consider to be a milestone in helping people develop workplace skills and connect them to good jobs.

“This says Jackson County is open for business and people matter,” said Mardy Leathers, Missouri’s director of workforce development. He added that Gov. Mike Parson has said his two highest priorities are fixing the state’s roads and bridges and developing a workforce able to meet the ever-changing demands of the modern economy.

A trucking giant with a logistics warehouse in Greenwood closed abruptly Monday, laying off hundreds of employees locally, and thousands globally. Johnson County  has resources in place to help the hundreds of local Celadon employees who lost their jobs suddenly, including the local WorkOne office and the Work Ready Communities program for employees as they review their skills and consider future employment, according to Dana Monson, executive director of the Johnson County Development Corp.

Josh Davies, CEO of the Center for Work Ethic Development is passionate about helping others make a difference in their lives, jobs, and community. By using employer-based research, defining the seven behaviors of work ethic, and innovative teaching, participants discover how to make lasting behavior change.  On episode 15 of Ready for Work, we feature Josh’s FRED Talk from the recent ACT Workforce Summit with trends in social-emotional learning and some insights on millennials and generational decline that may surprise you. Click the headline to download Josh's presentation slides and listen in at the podcast link above.