Representatives of Prince Edward County, along with approximately 50 stakeholders from across the Growth and Opportunity for Virginia Region 3, gathered at Fort Pickett on Sept. 26 to announce the launch of the Certified Work Ready Community (CWRC) program. In addition to Prince Edward, the counties of Brunswick, Buckingham, Charlotte, Cumberland, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg and Nottoway, also announced their commitment to the program, making Southern Virginia the first region in the nation to invest in earning the designation.

The ACT Work Ready Communities initiative is designed to assist a particular area, region or state in developing its workforce pipeline to provide skilled workers for employers. The framework allows each participating community to quantify and improve the skill levels of its workforce through a standardized workforce skill credential test, managed by Iowa-based ACT.

“The County is hopeful these efforts toward becoming certified will help us to attract new industry to the area by showing we are ready for business and have a trained workforce,” stated County Administrator Wade Bartlett.

To earn the designation as a Certified Work Ready Community, the entire region has agreed to equip more than 5,352 individuals in the workforce with an National Career Readiness Certificate credential and partner with 507 employers supportive of the region’s certification effort within two years.