Work Ready certification is a top priority

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July 10, 2010

Anonymous The Union-Recorder The Union-Recorder Sat Jul 10, 2010, 08:00 AM EDT

MILLEDGEVILLE — More than 40 Georgia counties have already attained their Certified Work Ready Community status, and though Baldwin is not among them, several surrounding counties are.

Earning certification has been a goal for more than a year now, and while Baldwin is close, it has yet to be achieved. It’s time the entire community gets behind the effort so Baldwin County can join that list.

The Georgia Work Ready program is a state economic development initiative that aims to improve job training and marketability of the state’s workforce and drive economic growth in local communities. It is a certification system that works for employers, job seekers and even those who are already employed.

For counties to become certified, they must show that they are working to improve high school graduation rates and that local residents are earning their individual Work Ready status. The aim is to demonstrate qualifications to potential businesses and industries. When a community gets certified, it’s a signal to businesses and industries that they have the right workforce and the right talent to do the job.

This is what Baldwin County needs job prospects to know. This is why getting certified must become a top priority and a community-wide effort.

Later this month, July 24, local community leaders will have a chance to lead this effort by stopping by Central Georgia Technical College to take the Work Ready assessment. We’re calling on all elected officials, government and business leaders to make the effort and lead by example in helping Baldwin County achieve this goal. Next month, there will be other opportunities for members of the community to take the assessment in a county-wide Work Ready drive.

The computer-based exam takes roughly three hours to complete, but the benefits for the entire community are invaluable.

Landing new jobs is increasingly tough for local communities, and any edge a county can gain is certainly a benefit. Earning this certification allows Baldwin to compete more heavily for the jobs that are out there against all the neighboring counties that are already Work Ready certified. In a tough job market, why would Baldwin County not want to have that same edge?

It’s imperative that local leaders set the right example in this effort and it’s important that everyone get behind achieving this goal. It’s time that Baldwin County showed prospective businesses that this community has the talent, the skills and the know-how to do the jobs of today and tomorrow. It’s time for Baldwin County to meet the challenge and achieve this goal.

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