News

Extending the congratulations to Rutherford County as a newly-certified Work Ready Community, local champion Beth Duffield was recognized for her commitment to building a robust talent pipeline for Middle Tennesse.  

Missouri Governor Mike Parson made a special visit to the Schuyler County R-1 School District Tuesday morning. In this news video from KTVO, Parson was in Queen City to present a certificate to honor them for achieving Work Ready Community status, something that could get these students ready for the next chapter in their lives.

Rutherford County has earned the official designation of an ACT Work Ready Community. This achievement spotlights a longstanding partnership between industry and education in Rutherford County to develop a highly skilled workforce, resulting in county-wide economic growth.

Competitiveness is the point of the Prosperity Cup, according to Site Selection magazine's announcement. Criteria include activity from Site Selection's Conway Projects database, business and tax climate rankings, and an index of National Career Readiness Certificates per thousand in population (18-64)

Ecosystem leaders from Work Ready Communities that regularly engage high school students are encouraged to contact the local high school district for fee-waiver opportunities. The waivers cover the ACT test.

Genesee County is part of a regional partnership in Western New York that will be launching Work Ready Communities in 2024. 

Henderson State University, in partnership with the Arkadelphia Regional Economic Development Alliance, is proud to announce Henderson’s approval as an ACT WorkKeys Curriclum Site under the Arkansas Department of Workforce Services’ umbrella agreement with ACT.

Site Selection magazine, a key publication for the economic development industry, ranked Arkansas No. 1 in its region for workforce development. Arkansas moved from second to first regionally in the South Central Region, which includes AL, KY, OK, LA, MS, TN, and TX. The Natural State has 51 counties participating in Work Ready Communities with more than 12 hundred supporting employers.

Join the ACT Workforce Summit in Atlanta, Oct. 2-4, to showcase your innovative workforce development strategies that help communities thrive. This unique event brings together a diverse mix of professionals from the ACT Work Ready Communities ecosystem, including state and local workforce developers, talent-focused economic developers, and educators spanning all levels. Together, we'll explore the latest trends and strategies in talent and workforce development, with a focus on creating credentialed career pathways that supply employers with a reliable talent pipeline. Don't miss out – submit your ideas through our Call for Proposals and connect with like-minded professionals!

“Ross Collins is very beneficial and so is the ACT WorkKeys,” said Marynell Harrell, MHS Senior. “It helps you in the future, it teaches you real life problems, and I think that is going to be really helpful as I go through my college career and my career in general.”

Over eighty Meridian High School students received ACT WorkKeys certifications during a special breakfast at the Wildcat Cafe at Ross Collins Career and Technical Center.