MonticelloLive

Governor Mike Beebe today announced a new workplace-readiness credential that will reduce employee turnover, build job-seeker confidence, increase a graduate’s chances for hire and boost economic development. 

The Arkansas Career Readiness Certificate (CRC) designates that an individual has core employability skills required across multiple industries and occupations. The CRC will give job seekers a competitive edge, assist them with creating a skill-enhancement road map and assure employers that they can perform the duties required for 21st century jobs.  The CRC is portable, meaning it is not tied to any specific job or business. 

Individuals can receive an Arkansas CRC by successfully completing the WorkKeys® comprehensive skills assessment, which is offered free of charge.  Thousands of American and international companies use WorkKeys® assessments, job profiles, training evaluations, research and reporting services to assess skill needs and measure progress. 

“One of the most frequent requests we get from businesses is for more comprehensive advance screening of potential employees,” Beebe said.  “The CRC will give Arkansans confidence in their own skills and qualifications, while helping employers improve the effectiveness of training dollars and streamline hiring decisions.” 

Additional benefits of the Arkansas CRC include increased chances that graduates will be hired, another incentive for students to take course work seriously, improved success in entry-level and subsequent jobs, and curricula that will be aligned to meet the job skills employers need. 

It also will keep employers from moving entry-level jobs to other states, decrease the unemployment rate, create a work-ready community, increase the tax base and attract new employers to the state.

Upon successfully completing the desired levels of WorkKeys®, a person will then earn a bronze, silver or gold CRC signed by the governor and directors of the Department of Workforce Services and Arkansas Workforce Investment Board. 

The first step toward achieving an Arkansas CRC is completing the KeyTrain® instruction, which is offered free of charge. The score achieved helps determine if the job seeker is ready to take the WorkKeys® assessment. If not, KeyTrain® provides additional instruction to develop the skills needed to pass WorkKeys® and for employment. The job seeker may also be referred to Adult Education for additional instruction. 

More than 20 other states have adopted the CRC initiative. Based upon its benefits, the agencies on the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet are partnering to ensure the program is implemented in Arkansas. Members of the cabinet include the directors of the Arkansas Department of Workforce Services, Arkansas Workforce Investment Board, Arkansas Department of Workforce Education, Arkansas Economic Development Commission, Arkansas Department of Higher Education, Arkansas Department of Education, Arkansas Association of Two-Year Colleges, and Arkansas Science and Technology Authority. 

DWS and Arkansas Workforce Center staff are available to assist employers who want to make the CRC a necessary credential for hiring. Job seekers may take KeyTrain® at any DWS office or at various Arkansas Workforce Centers around the state. WorkKeys® is administered at Arkansas’ 22 two-year colleges, including the University of Arkansas at Monticello-Technical Colleges at McGehee and Crossett. 

For more information, call 1-866-757-2999, or go to http://www.arkansasatwork.org/.