(Danville, Va.) – Governor Northam today announced that the City of Danville has been designated as a Certified Work Ready Community (CWRC) by American College Testing (ACT). This nationally recognized certification helps growing businesses and site selection firms identify highly skilled populations and optimal areas for expansion.
“As a Certified Work Ready Community, Danville has demonstrated a sustained, city-wide commitment to workforce development,” said Northam. “By emphasizing the skills employers need from day one, they have built a labor force that’s ready for the 21st century.”
More than 75 regional employers, educational institutions, and workforce development organizations supported Danville City’s efforts to achieve this important national certification. At the core of the ACT Work Ready Communities initiative is the National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC). This nationally recognized, portable credential includes three essential workplace skill categories: applied math, reading for information, and locating information. The NCRC credential is administered by Danville Community College (DCC) with multiple agencies providing referrals.
To become certified, a county must achieve benchmarks in three areas of performance: high school graduation rate, number of National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) credentials attained in the county, and number of employers recognizing NCRC. Employers report that knowing a job candidate has foundational, verifiable workplace skills expedites the hiring process.