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Ir <br />•r�,� <br />i <br />The competitive advantage <br />When businesses must focus on cutting costs <br />and good jobs are harder to find, communities <br />that use industry - recognized skills credentials <br />to improve their workforce have the advantage. <br />Across the United States, ACT Work Ready <br />Communities are improving the skills and work <br />readiness of the workforce while giving area <br />businesses an efficient, reliable way to identify <br />skilled job candidates. These communities provide <br />counties and states with actionable data and specific <br />workforce goals to drive economic growth. <br />Key to the ACT Work Ready Communities initiative is <br />the ACT National Career Readiness Certificate"' <br />(ACT NCRC"'), which is designed to measure and <br />close skills gaps among workers and job seekers. <br />The ACT NCRC is a portable, evidence -based <br />credential that certifies essential skills needed for <br />workplace success— reading for information, applied <br />mathematics, and locating information. ACT <br />Work Ready Communities also help individuals <br />and businesses understand the value of the <br />ACT NCRC and community certification. <br />F -2 <br />J <br />ACT is leading this national effort and offers a <br />yearlong executive training program —the ACT <br />Work Ready Communities Academy —that guides <br />teams through the successful startup and deployment <br />of certified ACT Work Ready Communities initiatives. <br />Why get involved? <br />Many groups benefit when their states, counties, <br />or regions join the ACT Work Ready Communities <br />initiative. <br />• Businesses and industries can learn exactly <br />what foundational skills are needed for a productive <br />workforce and can easily communicate their <br />needs to job seekers <br />• Individuals can understand what skills employers <br />require and how to prepare for career success <br />• Policymakers can consistently measure skills <br />gaps in a timely manner at the national, state, <br />and local levels <br />• Educators can close skills gaps via tools <br />integrated into career pathways with stackable, <br />industry - recognized credentials <br />• Economic developers can use an on- demand <br />reporting tool to market the quality of their <br />workforce <br />Page 87 <br />