News

The latest edition of the Rutherford Works newsletter has a great shout-out to their members on the value of Work Ready Communities.

In support of the WRC at Cherokee County, Kansas, Coffeyville Community College shared a recent impact report and testimonial.

13-WMAZ-TV interviewed Central Georgia WRC champion Paul Allen with best practice tips on essential skills development and career exploration utilizing WorkKeys.

Eau Claire County continues to lead the way in workforce development as Wisconsin's first designated ACT Work Ready Community - a milestone that reflects not just our success, but a collaborative vision for the future of our region's economy. ACT recently awarded an exemplar award to WRC champion CV Technical College.

As part of the All Ohio Future Fund initiative, Lorain County landed $67.4M for the Mega Site to expand water capacity, improve wastewater service, and design a new treatment plant for future development.

The Delta Regional Authority (DRA) recently awarded approximately $7 million toward 25 workforce development projects supporting economic development and prosperity throughout the lower Mississippi River Delta and Alabama Black Belt regions. Together, the grants impact 62 participating Work Ready Communities. WRC locations funded include 1 from Alabama, 8 from Arkansas, 4 from Louisiana, 12 from Mississippi, 7 from Missouri, and 5 from Tennessee.

Rural workforce ecosystems provide insights on challenges facing rural, midcareer workers. Commissioned by Generation and supported by the Workday Foundation, new research conducted by YouGov highlights key themes also important to Work Ready Communities and ACT's broader Rural Opportunity research in partnership with Opportunity at Work.

The findings point to a shared responsibility across sectors. Employers are encouraged to expand access by offering remote roles and actively considering rural talent. Training providers must develop programs that directly address the concerns and needs of midcareer workers in rural areas. Government has a critical role in directing public investment toward training and job creation strategies that are tailored to this population.

Shelton State Community College Adult Education is getting accolades for its career readiness program and computers for the students in the ACT WorkKeys program. The program was recognized at the Alabama Association for Public Continuing and Adult Education in Montgomery June 24, as noted in this feature from WVUA-TV. Following the program's success, ACT awarded Chromebooks for 20 students who took all four tests within a seven-day window and demonstrated improvement.

The Oswego County Micron Strategy Steering Committee hosted its second annual summit on Thursday, June 20, at SUNY Oswego’s Marano Campus Center auditorium, celebrating a year of significant milestones and strategic collaboration supporting Micron Technology’s historic $100 billion investment in Central New York.

As noted in the Year Two Highlights section, Oswego County earned a designation as the first ACT Work Ready Community in the Northeast, supporting talent pipeline development for advanced manufacturing careers

The Economic Development Corp. of Clark County (EDCCC), in partnership with the Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC), officially broke ground on the newly renamed 991-acre Southwest Arkansas Mega Site on Monday, July 7, 2025, at the Richwood Substation in Gum Springs. 

“Site development is a strategic investment that improves our ability to attract new businesses and create jobs. Project-ready sites send a clear message that our community is serious about growth and ready to compete,” said Shelley Short, CEO of the EDCCC. “With support from AEDC, Governor Sanders, and the Arkansas General Assembly, we’re strengthening regional competitiveness and laying the groundwork for long-term economic growth.”