FRANKFORT, Ky. (May 19, 2016) – Governor Matt Bevin announced on May 19, 2016 that Trigg County has been certified as a Kentucky Work Ready Community.
“I am delighted to announce that Trigg County has achieved certification by the Kentucky Workforce Innovation Board (KWIB),” Governor Bevin said. “Everything we aspire to economically is contingent on our communities having a skilled workforce that is ready and able to fulfill the needs of employers. Earning the Kentucky Work Ready Communities certification, gives Trigg County a competitive edge when businesses are looking for a new location or want to expand in Kentucky.”
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.
“We are excited to designate Trigg County as a Kentucky Work Ready Community, and we look forward to certifying many others in the future,” said Kurt Krug, chair of the Kentucky Work Ready Communities Review Panel and vice president of North American human resources for INOAC.
Sharon Butts, Executive Director of Cadiz-Trigg County Economic Development Commission stated that “ this process has been a true collaboration of our community partners in an effort to make workforce skills a county priority. A lot of companies are competing for the same talent, so we are enlarging the pool of qualified talent so that we can better compete for jobs and investments”.
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, life-skills development and digital literacy.
Applications for the 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.
For more information about the Kentucky Work Ready Communities program, go to http://workready.ky.gov.
