Wayne County to be first to get career readiness certification
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on October 24, 2014 2:28 PM
pmoore@newsargus.com
Wayne County is poised to become the first county in the state to attain a National Career Readiness Certificate, or NCRC, says Diane Ivey, executive director of the Wayne Business and Industry Center at Wayne Community College.
The NCRC measures skills employers believe are critical to job success. Individuals can earn the certification by taking three WorkKeys assessments, in the areas of applied math, locating math and reading for information.
The county has already made proven strides in the area of providing a skilled workforce ready to fill current and future jobs, Ms. Ivey said.
In 2013, Wayne County was recognized as the state's first Certified WorkReady Community, attributed in part to the Wayne Occupational Readiness Keys for Success, or WORKS, program launched at Wayne Community College.
Attaining the three-year status that accompanies the NCRC distinction is important, Ms. Ivey said, especially for employers interested in the quality of the area's workforce.
While the process is open to any county in North Carolina, at this point only seven have applied. Goals are set and once met, the county will be certified.
"We were the first application submitted (in September) and the first to get 100 percent of its goals," Mrs. Ivey said. "We wanted to be the first one."
Others currently pursuing the status, and their percentage of goals reached at this point, include Gaston (94) Lenoir (95), Mecklenburg (38), Onslow (71), Pitt (94) and Wilkes (57)
Announcement for the first round of certifications are expected later this year.
"As I understand it, the applications will be reviewed and the certification will be made and announced in December, and the second round begins in January," she said.
Goals are set based upon several things, including the number of those who attain the CRC, or Career Readiness Certificate, and the graduation rate.
"One of the other factors that's really critical and why some counties really struggle is the stakeholders support," Mrs. Ivey said.
Wayne County has been blessed to have the backing of local business and industry, she said.
"I think that's one of the reasons people have trouble with this is that they don't engage their businesses early enough," she said. "You have to be listening to them. You have to have their input in order to be successful."