MAGNOLIA – Dallas County is now participating in the ACT Work Ready program. Dallas County is a member of the Southwest Arkansas Regional Intermodal Authority.
ACT Work Ready Communities work to make their participants more competitive and close 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