STATE OF GEORGIA

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR

Sonny Perdue

GOVERNOR

For Immediate Release                                       Contact: Office of Communications

Friday, June 11, 2010                                                                    (404) 651-7774

Georgia High Schools Awarded Work Ready Grants

More Than 30 Schools Gain Access to Valuable Work Ready Training Tools

ATLANTA – Governor Sonny Perdue today announced 31 high schools throughout the state have been awarded Georgia Work Ready training grants that provide three-year access to the initiative’s skills gap training software, which help students improve their Work Ready Certificate levels. The funding was made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and will provide each school $5,000 of software.

“A Work Ready Certificate shows an individual has the core job skills needed for success today and in the future,” said Governor Perdue. “The Work Ready skills gap training software can help students improve their performance not only on the Work Ready assessment, but also on the graduation test, assist in improving our high school graduation rates and provide students with a better understanding of the skills employers look for in a successful employee.”

Georgia’s Work Ready initiative is based on a skills assessment and certification for job seekers and a job profiling system for businesses. By identifying both the needs of business and the available skills of Georgia’s workforce, the state can more effectively generate the right talent for the right jobs.

Each school has agreed to provide the Work Ready assessment to at least 50 percent of its senior class each year for three years and will incorporate the training tools in its curriculum to ensure all interested students at all grade levels have the opportunity access it.
The schools awarded the Work Ready training grants include:

§  Alcovy High School

§  Atkinson County High School

§  Bacon County High School

§  Banks County High School

§  Callaway High School

§  Cedar Grove High School

§  Coffee High School

§  Columbia High School

§  Cook County High School

§  Cross Keys High School

§  Fitzgerald High School

§  Hapeville Charter Career Academy

§  Hawkinsville High School

§  Houston County CAT Center

§  Houston County Crossroads Center

§  Houston County High School

§  Irwin County High School

§  LaGrange High School

§  Lithonia High School

§  McNair High School

§  Northside High School

§  Perry High School

§  Redan High School

§  Stephenson High School

§  Stone Mountain High School

§  Southwest DeKalb High School

§  Towers High School

§  Troup High School

§  Veterans High School

§  Warner Robins High School

§  Wilcox County High School

For more information on the Work Ready initiative please visit the Web site at www.gaworkready.org

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Governor Perdue Announces Eight New Certified Work Ready Communities

ATLANTA – Governor Sonny Perdue today announced eight new Certified Work Ready Communities, a designation showing the county has the skilled workforce that business demands and the educational infrastructure to drive economic growth and prosperity.

“Establishing a path for life-long learning empowers Georgians to improve their skills and take on the challenges of today’s economy,” said Governor Perdue. “By building a strong, well-trained workforce, these communities have taken charge of their futures and are equipped for economic growth and success.”

The eight new Certified Work Ready Communities of Excellence are Bulloch, Camden, Dodge, Early, Houston, Johnson, Troup and Worth counties. These counties represent the fifth group to complete their Work Ready Certificate goals and successfully meet at least the required minimum increase in their county’s public high school graduation rate.

The new Certified Work Ready Communities achieved the following:

• Bulloch County: 1,132 Work Ready Certificates earned (33 percent more than goal); increased public high school graduation rate from 73.1 to 81.9 percent
• Camden County: 1,002 Work Ready Certificates earned (68 percent more than goal); increased public high school graduation rate from 75 to 82.6 percent
• Dodge County: 875 Work Ready Certificates earned (190 percent more than goal); increased public high school graduation rate from 79.9 to 88.8 percent
• Early County: 407 Work Ready Certificates earned (56 percent more than goal); increased public high school graduation rate from 68.5 to 79.4 percent
• Houston County: 3,220 Work Ready Certificates earned (171 percent more than goal); increased public high school graduation rate from 78.9 to 81 percent
• Johnson County: 351 Work Ready Certificates earned (118 percent more than goal); increased public high school graduation rate from 63.9 to 70.1 percent
• Troup County: 1,973 Work Ready Certificates earned (153 percent more than goal); increased public high school graduation rate from 73.2 to 76.3 percent
• Worth County: 309 Work Ready Certificates earned (24 percent more than goal); increased public high school graduation rate from 58.5 to 71.6 percent

To earn the Certified Work Ready Community designation, counties must demonstrate a commitment to improving public high school graduation rates through a measurable increase, and show a specified percentage of the available and current workforce have obtained Work Ready Certificates.

Each community created a team of economic development, government and education partners to meet the certification criteria. Counties are given three years to reach the goals necessary to earn the designation.

Once counties attain their Certified Work Ready Community goals, they are able to maintain their status by ensuring a small percent of their available workforce continue to earn Work Ready Certificates, engage local businesses to recognize and use Work Ready, and continue to increase their public high school graduation rate until they reach a threshold of 75 percent.

To continue their work, each county will receive a $10,000 grant. Their Work Ready Community teams will also receive a two-year membership to their local chamber of commerce and a budget for additional Work Ready outreach materials. Counties that are fully certified receive road signs and a seal denoting the year they achieved certification.

Georgia’s Work Ready initiative is based on a skills assessment and certification for job seekers and a job profiling system for businesses. By identifying both the needs of business and the available skills of Georgia’s workforce, the state can more effectively generate the right talent for the right jobs. The Certified Work Ready Community initiative builds on the assessments and job profiling system to create opportunities for greater economic development.

For more information on the Work Ready initiative please visit the Web site at www.gaworkready.org

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