Bradley County Recognized for Workforce Development

Bradley County was recognized for its workforce development achievements over the past year at the ACT Workforce Summit in Charlotte, N.C. on Tuesday, Oct. 29, along with 48 other participating ACT Work Ready Communities. The annual summit, which brings together experts in business, education, workforce and economic development, included the ACT Work Ready Communities Awards Ceremony and Recognition. During the ceremony, representatives from participating ACT Work Ready Community counties and parishes received awards for becoming certified or completing a new set of goals to maintain their certification.
“We are so happy to recognize and award our Work Ready Communities at our annual convening of workforce experts,” said ACT President of Measurement, Suzana Delanghe. “These participating communities have demonstrated a commitment to developing a strong workforce pipeline, which is paramount to building stronger communities and fostering business and economic growth.”
The ACT® Work Ready Communities (ACT® WRC) initiative empowers states, regions and counties with data, processes and tools that drive economic growth by identifying skills gaps and quantifying the skill level of their workforce. Participants leverage the ACT® WorkKeys® National Career Readiness Certificate® (ACT® WorkKeys® NCRC®) to measure and close skills gaps and build common frameworks that link, align and match their workforce development efforts.
Ruthie Courtney accepted the award for Bradley County.  The Arkansas team attended workshops and sessions relating to internships, apprenticeships, and NCRC certifications.
The ACT Work Ready Communities Luncheon included welcome remarks from North Carolina Chamber President and CEO Gary Salamido. Tennessee Department of Labor Commissioner Jeff McCord shared advice with the Work Ready Communities awardees during a keynote presentation. The ACT Work Ready Community initiative includes 486 participating counties and parishes in 29 states.
For more information on ACT Work Ready Communities, go to www.workreadycommunities.org and view all of ACT’s workforce solutions at www.act.org/workforce 
About ACT
ACT is a mission-driven, nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people achieve education and workplace success. Grounded in 60 years of research, ACT is a trusted leader in college and career readiness solutions. Each year, ACT serves millions of students, job seekers, schools, government agencies and employers in the US and around the world with learning resources, assessments, research and credentials designed to help them succeed from elementary school through career. Visit act.org to learn more.