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PORT GIBSON – Claiborne County has joined other communities in the ��«Ӱҵ district in an effort to be recognized as a job-ready workforce.

Employers in the area have agreed to begin recognizing the National Career Readiness Certificate and have the county be certified as an ACT Work Ready Community. The national credential is a portable, industry-recognized standard of achievement that identifies proficiency in three key areas for landing jobs of today – reading for information, applied math and locating information. The national initiative is headed up by ACT, the nation’s leading college admissions testing company. ��«Ӱҵ administers the NCRC exam to Adult Basic Education and Career-Technical Education students as well as to current employees from industry partners.

“What the designation means is that we have the business climate for companies to relocate here or to expand, and for new ones to open up businesses in this area,” said Dr. Robin Parker, district director of Integrated Pathways and coordinator of Adult Basic Education at ��«Ӱҵ, during a program and job fair Oct. 13 to launch the effort officially. “It also means we will have people in our county who are ready to go to work.”

Issued at four levels – bronze, silver, gold, and platinum – the ACT NCRC helps take the guesswork out of hiring, training, and promotion decisions. WIN Job Centers in the three counties, as well as in Madison County, administer it to clients in each community who are applying for jobs.

“The county can’t grow unless the people grow,” said Milton Chambliss, executive director of the Claiborne County Economic Development District. “This job fair today is focuses on helping you accomplish that goal.”

Funding from the Mississippi Department of Education will allow career-tech students in school districts to complete the NCRC where their respective communities have joined the effort. Earlier this year, ��«Ӱҵ, Warren and Rankin counties, along with Madison County, each committed to become a Work-Ready Community.

Port Gibson and Claiborne County’s respective elected governing boards each passed a resolution recognizing ��«Ӱҵ’ Centennial, ��«Ӱҵ President Dr. Clyde Muse said, adding that it’s in keeping with ��«Ӱҵ’ “number one objective” of providing a quality education at a reasonable cost.

“We continually try our best to help all our communities, throughout a five-county area,” Muse said. “It’s a pleasure for me to be here and congratulate you on becoming a work-ready community.”

[tweetable alt=””]Claiborne County joins career-readiness initiative with helps from ��«Ӱҵ CC  [/tweetable]