County Receives Work Ready in Progress Designation

Article and photo from Sebree Banner (10-16-13)

Following months of work and a video conference last Wednesday with the Kentucky Department of Work Force Development, Webster County has earned the Work Ready Community in Progress designation.

Several months ago, educators, business owners and elected officials began working on the Work Ready initiative.  The program is a move at the state level to build education and help communities become more economically pleasing for business and industry.  Counties must meet a number of goals and make a number of improvements to skills possessed by local individuals.  Community commitment, internet availability, soft skills, educational attainment, graduation rate and NCRC all play a role in a community’s work ready standing.

Wednesday’s video conference included a video presentation about the county’s agriculture industry, business and industry, transportation, commercial and financial offerings and government and education.  Several member of the local Work Ready group attended the conference and made presentations to the Work Force Cabinet members.  Heather Roy, Tim Roy, Judge Executive Jim Townsend, Vernon Westerman, Larry Garriety, Dr. Judy Rhodes, MCC, Dr. Kris Williams, HCC, Tonya Logsdon, GRADD, Betsy Wells-Jones, NWKF, Steve Whitsell, Matt Hughes and Regina Catlett were present for the conference.  /the video conference gave committee members the opportunity to defend the information submitted in their Work Ready application, but for several months committees have been meeting and putting together statistics, seeking letters of support from various agencies and addressing other parts of the Work Ready process.

On Wednesday following the presentation of the video about Webster County, Tim Roy presented a list of initiative supporters reviewed the local high school graduation rate numbers.  Dr. Rhodes told the cabinet members that Webster County will meet its NCRC goal of nine percent growth over the next three years.  She provided additional information about the NCRC program and how goal attainment is being addressed locally.

Heather Roy reported on the local Take 5 campaign which will include committee members seeking out employers who will encourage their employees to attain GEDs as well as associate and bachelor degrees.  

Tim Roy told the cabinet that the high school has implemented a seven week soft skills program and will host a soft skills boot camp that “will beef up” these skills and help get students ‘work ready’.  He added that the soft skills are being addressed at both the school and community level.

Townsend noted that 91.4 percent of the county has broadband access, part of the Work Ready requirements.  he added that two areas of the county need better access and there are plans for the installation of two additional towers in those areas within the next two years.  “We are focused on providing (internet) access to our students out in the county,” Townsend said.

Hughes addressed community commitment noting that the committee is working on a website and is creating a media campaign to engage the entire county.

Following a brief discussion by members of the Work Force Cabinet, the group voted to designate Webster County as Work Ready In-Progress.  On November 21, members of the committee will attend a Kentucky Work Force Development meeting in Frankfort where the county will be recognized for this achievement.