The links located in the drop down menu will open a new window and take you to the ACT Work Ready Communities web page. What they do:

"About ACT® Work Ready Communities

We all have a stake in making our country more competitive and closing the skills gap that threatens to paralyze our economy. Change starts at the grassroots level, by providing a community-based framework that:

• Links workforce development to education

• Aligns with the economic development needs of communities, regions and states

• Matches individuals to jobs based on skill levels

The foundation of a community's certification is based on individuals at the county level across the current, transitioning and emerging workforce earning an ACT® WorkKeys® National Career Readiness Certificate® (ACT® WorkKeys® NCRC®) and employers recognizing the ACT® WorkKeys® NCRC®. The ACT® WorkKeys® NCRC® is a portable, industry-recognized credential that clearly identifies an individual’s WorkKeys® skills in workplace documents, applied math and graphic literacy - skills required for 77 percent of jobs based on ACT JobPro database.

By participating in ACT’s® Work Ready Communities initiative, counties, regions and states are helping:

• Business and industry know exactly what foundational skills they need for a productive workforce - and to easily communicate their needs

• Individuals understand what skills are required by employers - and how to prepare themselves for success

• Policy makers consistently measure the skills gap in a timely manner at the national, state and local levels

• Educators close the skills gap, via tools integrated into career pathways with stackable industry-recognized credentials

• Economic developers use an on-demand reporting tool to market the quality of their workforce"

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To continue learning more about them or to contact them, please click this link here (opens in a new window).