NEWS
Wyoming's Career Readiness Certificate Initiative Celebrates One Year
CHEYENNE - Wyoming Career Readiness Certificate Initiative celebrates its first year in operation today. The Initiative, administered by the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, has issued over 760 certificates to Wyoming's job seekers in the past year.
Wyoming's Career Readiness Certificate is an assessment-based credential that gives employers, educators and job seekers a uniform measure of foundational skills. The three areas of focus in the assessment are Reading for Information, Locating Information and Applied Mathematics. The three levels of achievement, from highest to lowest, are gold, silver and bronze. Testing for the Career Readiness Certificate is being administered through the Wyoming Community Colleges and their outreach centers.
"The Partnership we've had with the Governor's Office, Wyoming's Community Colleges, Department of Education, Corrections and the Business Council has been great on this project," said Joan Evans, Director of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services. "Because of the Partnership, so far over the past year, we've been able to issue right around 760 certificates for job seekers."
Wyoming is among 23 other states that have the Career Readiness Certificate. One of the Career Readiness Certificate's most attractive features is its transportability. A Certificate earned in Wyoming is recognized in the 23 states that are administering the Initiative, and Wyoming will recognize certificates earned in other states.
Amelia McLaughlin, the Career Readiness Program Manager for the Department, said, "We know that the Career Readiness Certificate is creating success for Wyoming's job seekers. We have had clients who were concerned about their qualifications. After we help them obtain their Career Readiness Certificate, and they succeed in achieving the scores the position requires, their confidence is lifted, and many times, they've been hired."
The Career Readiness Certificates utilizes the WorkKeys® assessment system developed by the respected researchers at ACT, Inc. in Iowa City, IA - best known for its widely accepted college entrance examination. WorkKeys assessments measure essential workplace skills and provide a score that employers may use to apply objectivity among job seekers and candidates for promotion to new positions. The scores also allow educators and employers to target training when skill gaps are identified by the assessment process. Certification assists state-wide economic development efforts as well, by demonstrating that a pool of skilled workers is available for businesses interested in relocating to, or expanding in Wyoming.
Wyoming's Career Readiness Certificate is a result of a partnership between The Governor's Office, Wyoming community Colleges, Wyoming Department of Education, Wyoming Department of Corrections and the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services.
For more information on Wyoming Career Readiness Certificate, visit wyomingworkforce.org/crc or call 877-WORK-WYO.
Listen to the audio from Amelia McLaughlin, Career Readiness Program Manager for the Department Department of Workforce Services.
Listen to the audio from Joan Evans, Wyoming Department of Workforce Services Director.
