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“Missouri's pioneering spirit is evident in Jasper County, which became the first-ever ACT Work Ready Community more than a decade ago. Since then, the program has been a transformative force, helping countless individuals gain the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in today's workforce. Through the ACT National Career Readiness Certificate and the ACT Work Ready Communities program, employers can easily match the skills and aptitudes they need with a ready and capable workforce. The program is one of the most innovative and effective ways to support our workforce and strengthen our economy.”

Subash Alias, CEO Missouri Partnership

Britney Mitchell, an ACT-authorized profiler at Madisonville Community College (MCC) in Kentucky is assisting the Ahlstrom-Munksjö Group, a Finland-based company, to staff and train employees for high-paying positions at a new $70 million site in the United States. “MCC’s Workforce Solutions team has been a game-changer for Ahlstrom’s recruiting and training efforts,” said Ahlstrom in a statement. “MCC’s staff provided ACT WorkKeys Job Profiling [and] facilitated more than 500 testing encounters, which resulted in 89 viable candidates to fill the production positions at the new plant.”

Become an ACT-authorized profiler and help employers identify criteria to use in hiring, job training, or even site planning. 

Registration deadline:  Friday, July 14, 2023
Online Learning begins: Monday, August 7, 2023

North Carolina has won its third consecutive Prosperity Cup, which recognizes the competitiveness of state-level economic development agencies and their success in landing capital investment projects according to a 10-point index, including growth in the ACT Workkeys National Career Readiness Certificate.

Charles Brogdon, Human Resource Director at Franklin Baking Company shares the benefits of the WorkKeys work readiness system and Wayne Community College at Goldsboro, NC.

In part two of her interview, Heather talks about the top workforce challenges today, including how employers are modifying job descriptions to better fit the skills needed to fill open positions, rather than focusing on a bachelor’s degree requirement. Employers in the Longview region are also evaluating reentry programs to fit their labor needs as well as getting creative with employee supports, like childcare to fill jobs and support employees.

Watch the video to hear more from Heather about:

• The top workforce challenges in the Longview region and what the Longview Economic Development Corporation and local employers are doing to overcome those challenges.
• The workforce innovations that need to take place in the next five years for companies and employees to be successful.
• Opportunities for educators and employers to work together in the community to up-skill students for future jobs.

Heather Malone, vice president of Longview Economic Development Corporation in Texas, spoke to us while she was attending ACT’s Workforce Summit last fall, sharing her views on the workforce challenges affecting her community. She discussed the need for reliable transportation so that workers can meet employer labor demands. She also spoke to the ongoing skills gap in the Longview region and what they’re doing to help the workforce and employers alike.

Watch the video to hear more from Heather about:

• The equity, access, and opportunity barriers that the Longview community faces and what the Longview Economic Development Corporation and other local agencies are doing to overcome those challenges.
• How the Longview region is working to fill the skills gap by providing the ACT National Career Readiness Certificate.

FOX-10 TV in Mobile, Alabama recently showcase healthcare apprenticeship programs at Coastal Alabama Community College. 

Every advantage counts when looking to attract new industries, and the City of Meridian is looking to get a leg up on the competition. A cooperative effort between the city, Meridian Public School District, Lauderdale County School District and Meridian Community College looks to lead the community into becoming an ACT Work Ready Community.

returns this fall with Nashville as its host city. This premier professional development and networking event has drawn national leaders in workforce and economic development, education and training, government, and business and industry.

Music City, USA, is the right place for us to connect and learn how all stakeholders in the workforce ecosystem can work “in harmony” to create a smarter, more adaptable, highly trained national workforce, one community at a time.

Don’t miss sessions with national thought leaders to help you fully prepare emerging workers, upskill current workers, build resilient economies, and create robust partnerships crucial for a thriving workforce community.

Work Ready Communities that meet or renew their certification before June 30, 2023 will be recognized at this year's summit.