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Counties across the country are riding the wave of a growing trend of certifying their communities as Work Ready.

COLUMBIA--Lt. Gov. Yancey McGill and Lt. Gov.-Elect Henry McMaster announced today that nearly half of South Carolina's counties are now certified as work ready, outpacing the nation in an initiative that showcases the highly skilled workforce that businesses require in a competitive economy.

ACT convened key experts from the K–12, postsecondary and business sectors for a policy forum on December 4 that drew close to 100 attendees for its morning panel discussion. Held at the Mayflower Renaissance Hotel in Washington, D.C., the event marked the unveiling of ACTs policy platforms across the three sectors.

On December 4, ACT will unveil its first ever education and workforce policy platforms, outlining the federal legislative priorities championed by the organization across the kindergarten through career continuum.

ACT held its second annual ACT Work Ready Communities Best Practices Symposium on Oct. 7 and 8 in St. Louis, Mo., providing an opportunity for participating state and community leaders to share their success stories from the nationwide initiative.

In her Adult Ed classroom at the Chester County Career Center, transition specialist Lindy Blanks holds up three laminated cards; one is gold, one silver and one bronze. You'd never know it to look at them, but for a lot of Chester County jobseekers, these three cards are actually the keys to the future.

Skip Palma, Oregon veteran, talks about how the ACT National Career Readiness Certificate helped him end long term unemployment.

Excerpt: A new program that will kick off this summer wants to help people find jobs that better match their skills and interests, and also help McLean County better compete for new business opportunities. The McLean County Certified Work Ready Community initiative is part of a national effort to encourage those in the workforce to get ACT's NCRC-

Life is full of choices. Each choice we make — or fail to make — affects our own lives and the lives of others. For those with imaginative minds, choices may take the form of what ifs. Here are a few that drive me and many of my colleagues at ACT.....

A recent article by Gov. Jay Nixon featured on CNBC discussed the many advantages that Missouri offers to prospective and current businesses looking to grow. The article mentions Missouris competitive economic climate, spotless AAA credit rating, and world-class workforce as compelling factors as to why the Show-Me State is ready to compete...