Rush County Deemed ‘Work Ready’
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowRush County is the first in Indiana to receive certification through ACT's Work Ready Communities initiative. The effort aims to narrow the skills gap through the National Career Readiness Certificate program.
March 18, 2015
News Release
Muncie, Ind. — In less than a year, Rush County has achieved 100 percent of its goals on becoming a Certified Work Ready Community through ACT. They are the first county in Indiana to achieve this certification. ACT launched its national Certified Work Ready Communities (CWRC) initiative in 2011. In June 2013, ACT began accepting applications directly from counties interested in participating, where there was not a statewide ACT CWRC program in place. Rush County and other Eastern Indiana counties took advantage of this opportunity.
Participants are leveraging the National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) through WorkKeys assessment testing to measure and close the skills gap—and build common frameworks that link and align a county's workforce development efforts. To date, 281 Rush County residents have attained a NCRC. Area leadership is amazed by this accomplishment and will use this certified status to better leverage economic development efforts in the county.
“I am very proud of the effort that was made by our local team,” said Mike Pavey, Mayor of Rushville. “It proves the strong commitment we have to education and workforce training.”
John McCane, Executive Director of Rush County Economic & Community Development Corporation, agrees and stated “Being a certified work ready community helps make our county more competitive when it comes to attracting new business. Rush County is leading our state to close the skills gap and provide skilled workers to our employers. Focusing on these initiatives helps Rush County grow and prosper.”
Mike Row, President/CEO for Alliance for Strategic Growth, states “This achievement is a testimony to the unwavering, collaborative commitment of City of Rushville, the Rush County Economic & Community Development Corporation, and the Rush County Commissioners to better position their community for economic growth. Indeed, our organization celebrates with them at this news and considers it an honor to partner with them to cultivate a sustainable, world-class workforce. Congratulations, Rush County.”
Eastern Indiana is the only area of the state that has counties involved in this initiative. Active and live counties include Delaware, Randolph, Rush, and Wayne Counties. Fayette and Henry Counties have also been accepted into the program and are in the training process. Currently, there are more than 80 Eastern Indiana employers supporting this initiative. For more information about ACT Certified Work Ready Communities and Rush County status, please visit http://workreadycommunities.org/IN/139 .
ABOUT: Alliance for Strategic Growth, Inc. (ASG), recognized for its leadership and expertise, exists to support sustainable economic prosperity in Eastern Indiana through the development and implementation of collaborative initiatives that empower the regional workforce to meet the demands of the global economy. The corporation is a not-profit, public/private partnership that serves as the Workforce Investment Board for 8 WorkOne offices in Eastern Indiana, including Blackford, Delaware, Fayette, Henry, Jay, Randolph, Rush, Wayne and Union counties. Eastern Indiana WorkOne offices (www.work-one.org) assist thousands of job seekers and employers every year through a variety of employment and job readiness services. For more information on ASG, visit www.asgcorp.org.
Source: Alliance For Strategic Growth Inc.