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DED Celebrates
Livingston County Achieving Certified Work Ready Community
Designation
Wednesday,
Oct. 14, 2015
Contact:
Amy Susan (573) 522-5058 The
Missouri Department of Economic Development (DED) today announced
that Livingston County has been designated as Missouri's newest
Certified Work Ready Community (CWRC). The CWRC designation
recognizes successful efforts by community, education and business
leaders, working with the Missouri Division of Workforce
Development, to strengthen workforce training and development to
meet the economic development needs of communities.
Photo: Butch
Shaffer
"Bridging
the gap between the skills businesses need and the talents of the
local workforce is critical to strengthening our economy," said
Mike Downing, director of the Missouri Department of Economic
Development. "I congratulate Livingston County for connecting
educators and employers to achieve this goal, and I am thrilled to
see the Certified Work Ready Community initiative becoming a focal
point for communities looking to grow and create a work-ready
workforce."
The
announcement of the designation was made at the Grand River
Technical School, a supporter of Livingston County's CWRC efforts.
Several local companies that utilize the National Career Readiness
Certificate (NCRC) in their hiring process or internal capacity were
present at the event, including The Baptist Home and Investor's
Community Bank. The NCRC is a work-related skills credential,
providing objective documentation of an individual's skills that is
accepted nationwide by many employers.
"Our
goal is to find individuals that have a desire and a heart for our
aging elders. Individuals that want to aid them in the activities in
daily living that are now a struggle. By using NCRC, this will help
us find those people that have that heart and desire," said
Ruthie Meyers, administrator of The Baptist Home. "Hiring the
right people the first time saves time, money and resources that can
in turn be used for higher wages and better benefits for our
existing employees."
"Investor's
Community Bank is using the NCRC to assist us in choosing potential
employees. This is another tool used to evaluate individuals
who would be a fit for our business. This program also shows skills
that may not be reflected on their resume," said Shelly
Epperson, with Investor's Community Bank. "By knowing what
specific set of skills they possess, it helps us save time and
money. By having this program we are able to find the right
candidates the first time."
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| Photos: Butch
Shaffer
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In
2012, Missouri was selected as one of the first four states to
participate in the Certified Work Ready Communities initiative by
American College Testing (ACT). The initiative aligns workforce
training programs with the economic development needs of
communities; matches appropriate applicants to jobs based on skill
level; and strengthens businesses by strengthening the workforce. In
2013, Jasper County, Missouri was named the first Certified Work
Ready Community in the nation. Missouri now has 64 counties that are
actively participating in the Certified Work Ready Community
initiative and 18 fully certified counties. "Our
designation of becoming a Certified Work Ready Community could not
have been achieved without full support from our community,"
said Matt Trussell, Livingston CWRC Chair and director of the Small
Business Technology Development Center at Northwest Missouri State
University. "From partnering with our local educators to
working with the more than 30 local businesses that supported this
initiative, it was a team effort and we are excited to join the
ranks of the state's certified counties and show our workforce
readiness." 
Several
local employers and organizations, including local school districts,
educational institutions, chambers of commerce, and economic
development organizations, came together to promote and support
Livingston County's efforts to achieve this important certification.
By participating in ACT's Certified Work Ready Communities
initiative, Livingston County is:
- Helping
workers understand what skills are required by employers, and
how to prepare themselves for success;
- Helping
businesses effectively communicate their workforce needs to area
education and workforce training programs;
- Providing
educators with the tools needed to close the skills gap by
establishing career pathways for students with stackable
industry-recognized credentials; and
- Equipping
economic development organizations with an on-demand reporting
tool to promote the quality of their workforce.
For more
information about Missouri Works Training or the Certified Work
Ready Community initiative and how to apply for certification, visit
MO.gov.
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