The #Chamber of Commerce and the Midwest Work Ready Communities in Kentucky and Missouri

State of  Kentucky

Having a work force with the right skills and being able to document that fact is becoming more important to counties in Kentucky as they compete for employers.

Kentucky Work Ready Communities certification is sponsored by Kentucky Workforce Investment Board and Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet. The initiative is "part of Kentucky's overall strategic plan to transform the workforce development system," according to the workready.ky.gov website.

In Mason County, Vicki Steigleder, executive director of the Maysville-Mason County Area Chamber of Commerce has taken on the responsibility of coordinating a committee and data for the Work Ready Communities initiative.

Read more about Work Ready Communities here from the Ledger Independent.
 The Kentucky Work Ready Community program has the ability to transform a community. It encourages counties to take a credible inventory of the current and future workforce, identify the gaps and carry out strategies to achieve a more knowledgeable, trained workforce. Find more information on the Kentucky Work Ready Communities  website.
 State of Missouri
 Missouri also was chosen to be one of seven states in the country to implement the Certified Work Ready Communities (CWRC) initiative. Participation in CWRC is voluntary and guided by key community leaders (local elected officials, economic development, business leaders, chambers, educators, and workforce development). Whether your county is large or small, you will be able to attract, retain, and develop a workforce with the education and foundational skills to succeed in the 21^st century by utilizing the National Career Readiness Certificate.

By strengthening your local workforce your community can prosper and grow.

A certified Work Ready Community means your local county has job candidates in the pipeline with high-demand skills proved by the National Career Readiness Certificate. It also shows that local employers care about hiring the best and brightest your region has to offer.

• Any county in Missouri may apply
• No unit smaller/larger than a county may apply
• Organize locally by county
• No cost to apply 

Achievement of Certified Work Ready Community status recognizes that:

A county can provide and deliver a quality workforce with the skills employers need to be “work ready”

Goals have been met for individuals in the local workforce earning a National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC)

Goals have been met for local business engagement-  
either recognizing, preferring or recommending the NCRC

Each Team must include a member from the following:

• Local Business
• Economic Development
• Chamber of Commerce
• K-12 Education
• Community College
• Local Elected Official
• Local Workforce Investment Board 

Contact CWRC coordinator cwrc@ded.Mo.Gov  or  573-522-2744

http://ded.mo.gov/getcertified

Illinois, Michigan and Indiana are also participants in ACT Certified Work Ready Communities. Get more information about ACT Certiifed Work Ready Communites  here. Information by county is also available here.