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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
Community Participation
When your community becomes a Certified Work Ready Community, you can prove the economic viability of your area to location consultants, investors, and other decision-makers.
Learn MoreWork Ready Ecosystem
ACT® Work Ready Communities brings together disparate individuals and organizations who share a common goal -- participating in a vibrant and sustainable economy that benefits everyone involved. The Work Ready framework provides a set of criteria for evaluating which participants are contributing to this goal and which need improvement.
