ELKINS — The Elkins-Randolph County Chamber of Commerce Workforce Development Collaborative announced they have engaged in the process for Randolph County to become a certified ACT Work Ready Community.

This practice demonstrates a commitment to developing a strong workforce pipeline, desirable to employers, economic developers, and current and future citizens of the county.

A kick-off announcement will start the Chamber’s Bi-Monthly Coffee & A Conversation on Thursday at 8 a.m. The virtual meeting is open to the public.

The announcement comes from the Work Force Development Collaborative. Additional conversation concerning COVID-19 related business concerns such as PPP, Cares Act, state guidelines, and more will be handled by the Economic Vitality Collaborative. Both committees are collaborations with other organizations in Randolph County. Everyone is welcome to participate in the virtual gathering. You do not need to be a member of the Chamber. To register and/or join the meeting, go www.erccc.com, click on the link under Upcoming Events – Coffee & A Conversation.

The ACT Work Ready Communities (ACT WRC) initiative empowers states, regions and counties with data, processes and tools that drive economic growth by identifying skills gaps and quantifying the skill level of their workforce. Participants leverage the ACT WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate (ACT WorkKeys NCRC) to measure and close skills gaps and build common frameworks that link, align, and match their workforce development efforts.

To begin the Work Ready Communities process, Randolph County leaders attended the ACT Work Ready Communities Boot Camp, an executive leadership and training program designed and led by ACT to initiate, deploy, and drive carefully tailored efforts to improve the county’s work readiness. Leaders meet with local employers, policymakers, educators, and economic developers to reach established goals and build a sustainable WRC model to fit community needs.

Jack Tribble, Monongahela National Forest Greenbrier District Ranger explains, “Hiring is one of the most important things we do. We review the resume, interview, and do a reference check. Sometimes with a candidate we feel like we are taking a chance. The ACT WorkKeys Assessment would give us another view of the candidate and could showcase the skills he/she possesses through a simple process.”

“Congratulations to Randolph County for joining this initiative and a growing list of counties dedicated to building a robust workforce,” said ACT’s Jasen Jones. “The determination of Randolph County’s leadership to engage in this process demonstrates active partnerships between all stakeholders in the community and will provide the county with an economic development advantage, helping them stand out nationally for their workforce development efforts.”

For more information on this initiative, go to www.workreadycommunities.org and view all of ACT’s workforce solutions at www.act.org/workforce.