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11/2412014 ACT Certified Work Ready Communities - CWRC Academy �1` Work. Ready L Communities HOME 1 ABOUTWRC I FOREMPLOYERS i LATESTNEWS I CONTACTUS The ACTS Work Ready Communities initiative is a core element in the effort to build a truly national system for work readiness, At the core of this aspiration sit ACT National Career Readiness Certificates (NCRCsj that focus on certifying three essential skills - applied math, reading for Information. and locating information. The NCRC is an evidence -based credential that has been proven to accurately predict work readiness and job performance. And, this predictive power applies to all three key groups of people: new workers, transitioning workers and individuals who already have jobs. These Certificates - and the skills they verify - help assure employers that the people hired and /or advanced will succeed. The Certificates also act like passports - regardless of where an individual lives or moves, the Certificates testify to work readiness. And, because the Certificates are a win /win for employers and employees alike, counties that have sustainable, ongoing certification efforts are far more attractive, In effect, counties that are Certified Work Ready Communities have a built in economic development advantage in the eyes of existing employers as well as those contemplating relocations. ACT's Work Ready Communities Academy is for leaders who want to move aggressively forward Into this 21st century approach to work readiness and economic development. The Academy Is a twelve month performance- driven program state and local WRC leadership teams use to Initiate, deploy and drive carefully tailored statewide efforts that grow the number of counties certified as work ready. The goal is clear:'on board' and certify your counties, To succeed at this goal, WRC leadership teams shape a performance - driven strategy that builds on deploying ACT's testing Infrastructure and data gathering. However, the strategy must go beyond these two elements - and the ACT WRC initiative helps leadership teams do that by shaping what we call a'challenge'that makes the most sense for each state or community's unique circumstances, including - critically - of work readiness. Successful teams are those willing to invest the team time and focus needed to shape and succeed against this challenge - centric approach. APPROACHES AND TOPICS COVERED INCLUDE: • THE BASICS: ACT is providing process, tools and data to support building a common platform at the county level for measuring and closing the skills gap based upon the NCRC. The model Is built upon partnerships at the national, state and local levels and an Academy approach to provide structure to the start-up and successful launch. ACT WRC is a'docking station' for states and counties to'ptug into' and connect their existing or new workforce Initiatives. The process includes 'on boarding' of counties to the State's Certified Work Ready Community initiative and to ACT. • WHY COUNTIES? The LINK, ALIGN and MATCHING of the workforce is implemented at the local level, Having a process in place for county leaders to work together to match people to jobs. align workforce goals to economic development and link education and workforce together to improve the skill level is what county -level Certified Work Ready Communities do. • THE PLAYERS: Employers. individuals (new to workforce, transitioning, already employed), state leaders, educators, economic development, chambers, workforce professionals, community leaders, families, media and more. • THE CHALLENGE: Assist WRC community teams develop a one year vision statement that serves as the focal point In developing and launching initiative. • LEADERSHIP: We help WRC teams figure out who needs to beat the table and how they can assist to make sure success happens. COMPOSITION OF STATE LEADERSHIP TEAM SHOULD CONSIST OF STATE SENIOR STAFF WITH DECISION - MAILING AUTHORITY THAT INCLUDES: • Governor's office policy advisor • State workforce development agency representative • State department of commerce or economic development staff representative • Community/technical college staff ABOUT WRC Work Ready Communities i' JRCj Overview WRC for States WRC tar Counties ACT WRC Academy FA ©s Community F, Economic Development Staff National Wo6force Solutions Advisory Sow& HOW TO SIGN UP There are two paths to participate in the ACT@1 Work Ready Communities initiative - State or County approaches. SIGN UP NOW F - 2 Page 113 http : / /wor kreadycom m uniti es.orgli ndex /cwrc- academ y