WCEA Receives $31,570.00 Grant Aimed to Help Emerging Workforce

 

Greenville, MS – The Washington County Economic Alliance (WCEA) is pleased to announce that funding has been secured through a grant from the Foundation for the Mid South in the amount of $31,570.00 to test up to 450 high school students in Washington County with the ACT WorkKeys assessment. The purpose of this assessment is to develop a work ready pipeline of emerging workforce that will meet the needs for existing and future companies located in Washington County.

 

“We are excited to receive this financial support from the Foundation for the Mid South,” said Cary Karlson, Executive Director of the WCEA. “Having the ability to test such a large number of high school students will help us document the strengths of our future workforce.”

 

Currently, there is no additional State funding available to test high school students. The funding available through the Mississippi Community College Board and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act legislation is utilized to test adults who are at least eighteen (18) years of age. Without testing high school students/the emerging workforce, Washington County cannot accurately depict the work ready pipeline of individuals that will meet the demand of existing and future businesses.

 

Funding from the Foundation for the Mid South will allow WCEA to continue to test high school juniors and seniors in both the public and private school sectors with the ACT

WorkKeys Assessment. "Partnering with WCEA on this project is a great opportunity for the Foundation for the Mid South to support community growth through local talent identification and employee development for business and industry," noted Dr. Ivye Allen, President of the Foundation. Since 2016, the WCEA has coordinated testing of high school students/emerging workforce of Washington County’s private and public schools with The Capps Technology Center (the workforce training arm of Mississippi Delta Community College) through grant funding.

 

Testing of the emerging workforce is part of the ACT Work Ready Communities Initiative. Washington County became certified as a Work Ready Community in January 2017 by meeting strict demands of workforce and employer engagement. Washington County was the second county in Mississippi to be certified.

 

ACT Work Ready Community empowers states, regions, and counties with data, processes, and tools that drive economic growth. Participants are leveraging the NCRC to measure and close the skills gap and building common frameworks that link, align and match their workforce development efforts. For more information, visit http://workreadycommunities.org/.

 

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