03/29/2024
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The Bladen County Commissioners have signed a resolution to support a work force development initiative in Bladen County.

In collaboration with Bladen Community College, the Work Ready Community Initiative is a workforce development assessment that tracks local skilled workers and their workforce readiness. Participants are evaluated on reading for information ability, applied mathematics, and locating information.

Using a system that identifies workers with bronze, silver, gold, and platinum certifications, the community college administers the assessments and enters the results into the national database as a North Carolina Career Readiness Certificate.

Business and industry employers can promote the initiative by preferring or requiring individuals to have career readiness certification as part of their hiring process. This process showcases the level of skilled worker talent in the county and can boost the appeal of the region to potential new industries.

“Within our programs for skilled workers, we can assess our graduates with the Work Ready Certification standards,” stated Sondra Guyton, BCC vice president for workforce and continuing education. “As the data flows into a national database, corporate environments and industries from around the country can assess the viability of locating a particular industry in our county. When existing industries require a Career Readiness certification, it raises the level of skill required. This benefits the worker, the industry, and the county.”

Bladen County currently has 2,190 individuals who have earned a career readiness certificate (CRC).

“For employers,” remarked Guyton, “the CRC offers a reliable means of determining whether a potential employee has the necessary literacy, numeracy and problem solving skills to be job ready. For job seekers, the CRC serves as a portable credential that can be more meaningful to employers than a high school degree or a resume citing experience in a different job setting.”

For more information about programs for workforce skills at Bladen Community College, call 910 879-5500.

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