McAlester News-Capital, McAlester, OK

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November 20, 2009

Region gets top ‘Work Ready’ designation

Thirteen Oklahoma counties added an important tool to their job creation kits this week when they received “Work Ready” recognition from the Oklahoma Department of Commerce. The certification process was a collaboration of ODOC, Kiamichi Technology Centers, the Choctaw Nation Career Development, Southeast Workforce Investment Board and the Kiamichi Economic Development District of Oklahoma.

Thirteen Southeastern Oklahoma counties were designated Work Ready: Atoka, Bryan, Choctaw, Coal, Haskell, Hughes, Johnston, Latimer, LeFlore, McCurtain, McIntosh, Pittsburg, and Pushmataha. Together, the area was designated the “Oklahoma’s Premier Work Ready Region” during a ceremony at KTC’s McCurtain County Campus.

Oklahoma Secretary of Commerce and Tourism Natalie Shirley noted the combined efforts of the regional leaders to become the fourth area in the state to earn Oklahoma Certified Work Ready status and the first multi-county region to earn the distinction.

“The key to economic development in Oklahoma is workforce recruitment, training, and certification,” Shirley said. “The Work Ready certification is a tool that will strengthen the pipeline of skilled workers in Oklahoma. It says this region is ready to do business.”

Managed by the Governor’s Council for Workforce & Economic Development and Commerce, the Certified Work Ready program quantifies the skilled workforce available to an existing employer or a new business considering Oklahoma for a new location.

Norma Noble, Oklahoma Department of Commerce Deputy Secretary of Workforce Development, said every state in the nation is competing to attract industry and grow existing businesses.

“Regional partnerships like the one in Southeastern Oklahoma can automatically gain a competitive advantage,” she said.

over non-certified regions because they can quantify a skilled workforce to an existing employer or a new business considering Oklahoma for a new location.”

Oklahoma’s Certified Work Ready project is an innovative program that encourages self-defined communities to link workforce and economic development. Work Ready expands the state’s skills assessment and certification effort currently offered to individual employees, job seekers, and employers through the Career Readiness Certificate program. Oklahoma’s Premier Work Ready Region achieved and exceeded the requirements.

Oklahoma’s Premier Work Ready Region is committed to improving the high school graduation rate. The standard set was 82 percent and this region currently has a graduation rate of 86 percent.

To learn more about Oklahoma’s Premier Work Ready Region, please contact Jodie White at 888-567-6643 or 918-567-2264, or via email at jwhite2@okktc.org.

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