Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet Secretary Hal Heiner announced on February 16 that Clinton County has been certified as a Kentucky Work Ready Community in Progress.

The Kentucky Work Ready Community certification program from the Kentucky Workforce Innovation Board (KWIB) and the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet assures employers that a local workforce has the talent and skills necessary to staff existing jobs and to master the innovative technologies new jobs will require.

Six local residents, as well as Darrell McGaha with the Lake Cumberland Area Development District, traveled to Frankfort last month to accept the certification, along with five other Kentucky counties that were also awarded certification.

“We are excited to designate Clinton County as a Kentucky Work Ready Community in Progress, and we look forward to certifying many others in the future,” said Kurt Krug, chair of the Kentucky Work Ready Community Review Panel and vice president of North American human resources for INOAC.

Clinton County was designated as a Kentucky Work Ready Community in Progress because it is close to meeting the criteria to be certified as a Kentucky Work Ready Community. To achieve this level, a county must present a viable plan to meet all of the criteria within three years. The designation shows that a community is making strides and working with its business, education, workforce and economic development leaders to set and meet common goals that will give the county an economic edge.

To become certified, communities must gather local support and commitment and apply for the Kentucky Work Ready Communities designation. Counties have to meet criteria in six areas including high school graduation rate, National Career Readiness Certificate holders, demonstrated community commitment, educational attainment, soft-skills development and digital literacy.

Applications for certification are reviewed by a panel appointed by the Kentucky Workforce Innovation Board. The panel recommends certification by the board for the counties that meet the criteria. The panel meets four times a year to review applications which can be submitted at any time.

Penny Jo Stearns, Administrative Assistant in the county judge-executive’s office, who is helping spear-head the effort to eventually make Clinton County a Kentucky Work Ready Community, noted the initiative basically starts in the schools in an attempt to bring more graduates to the status of being work ready, but the program is offered to anyone who wishes to receive an NCRS (National Career Readiness Certificate) certification.

She stressed two important aspects of making the project work locally, including goals that need to be obtained and the need for more local businesses to buy into the program of giving NCRS certificate holders the first look when it comes to employment.

Four of the goals include improving the high school graduation rate from the current 95 percent to 98 percent; the NCRC rate from 11.33 percent now certified to 15 percent; and educational attainment from 16 percent current to 25 percent over the next three or four years.

The school district is currently working to put plans and procedures in place to help prepare for the NCRC certification by teaching soft skills such as communication skills, work ethics, good attendance, respect and others.

“We need to get more businesses informed about the Kentucky Work Ready Community in Progress program,” said Stearns. A priority of the program, she said, was to give those who hold the certificates the first choice of employment because they would have demonstrated they have learned the aforementioned skills that would qualify them for work.

Stearns said there were three tiers of NCRC certification, including bronze, silver and gold, but those who obtain the bronze can continue to work for a higher ranking.

The tests are administered by the local Adult Education program and although catered toward high school age students, can also be taken by adults. She noted for more information on the certification tests, people could contact Mitchell Latham with the Adult Ed program.

The NCRC certification, she added, was an equivalent to having a two-year (or Associate’s) college degree.

Stearns is seeking several more business partners to join the Kentucky Work Ready Community in Progress effort, and for those people to serve on various committees associated with the program in helping Clinton County to meet the goals necessary to become an actual Work Ready Community.

There are five local committees currently meeting–and needing–more business member participation. They include the Graduation Rate Committee, which needs one business; the NCRC Committee which needs five businesses; the Community Involvement Committee, with two business slots open; the Education Attainment Committee, which needs one business; and the Soft Skills Committee, which needs a couple more business people to join.

Stearns also said there would be a “sign” ceremony scheduled to place “Work Ready Community in Progress” placards up at four locations in the county, designating Clinton as being a part of the program. The date and time for that ceremony will be announced later.

Also, anyone wishing more information about the program, or any business person wishing to help or join a committee, should contact Stearns at the judge/executive’s office at 387-5234.

For more information about the Kentucky Work Ready Communities program, go to http://workready.gov.