Free Kentucky Work Ready Communities Best Practices Summit April 29 will help counties prepare for economic growth
Lt. Gov. Crit Luallen to deliver keynote address

FRANKFORT, Ky. (April 1, 2015) - Kentucky Lieutenant Governor Crit Luallen will be the keynote speaker at the Kentucky Work Ready Communities Best Practices Summit April 29 from 9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. at the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) Central Office, 300 N. Main St., Versailles. The summit is being sponsored by the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.

The Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet and the Kentucky Workforce Investment Board (KWIB) are hosting the free summit that is designed to help communities that want to improve their economic development potential by working toward Kentucky Work Ready Communities certification. The certification assures employers that a local workforce has the talent and skills necessary to staff existing jobs and to master the innovative technologies new jobs will require. The deadline for advanced registration is April 24.

"Since this innovative program started in 2011, 51 counties have achieved either Kentucky Work Ready Communities or Work Ready in Progress certification, and 29 are actively pursuing certification," said Robert Curry, director of Kentucky Work Ready Communities.

"This is a great opportunity for local leaders of certified communities to share their best practices with other people who are interested in the program and want to learn more about it," said Curry. "Leaders who have gone through the rigorous application process will speak at the summit and give insight into the program and how it has benefited their communities."

To be designated a Kentucky Work Ready Community, business, education, economic and elected leaders must collaborate and apply for the certification. Counties have to meet criteria in six areas including high school graduation rate, National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) holders, demonstrated community commitment, educational attainment, soft-skills development and digital literacy.

If a community is close to certification and is committed to reaching the criteria in three years, it is may be designated as a Work Ready Community in Progress.

"We are excited about the opportunity to hear Lt. Gov. Luallen speak at the summit," said Roxann Fry, target market specialist with the Tennessee Valley Authority and Kentucky Work Ready Communities champion. "I think her participation reinforces how beneficial this program is to our communities and the state. We encourage all communities to strive for Work Ready Communities status as a way of telling employers that Kentucky is not only open for business but primed for growth and ready to take advantage of the economic opportunities ahead of us."

The summit is geared toward Kentucky Work Ready Communities committee members, elected officials, economic development organizations, chambers of commerce, human resource managers, business owners, school officials, business and industry associations, community college representatives, P-16 councils, adult education directors and Kentucky's Local Workforce Investment Boards.

For more information or to register for the event, visit the Kentucky Work Ready Communities program website at http://workready.ky.gov and click on the summit link at the top of the page. The event is free, but space is limited.