The Carroll County Board of Supervisors may look into the steps to become an ACT Work Ready Community. At their Nov. 26 meeting, Montgomery County Economic Development Director Sue Stidham came and talked to supervisors about coming on board.
Stidham said Carroll and Montgomery counties both share Anel on Highway 51 in Vaiden, and Montgomery County has joined the ACT Work Ready Community program and felt it would be beneficial for Carroll County to do the same.
ACT Work Ready is a basic skills test that many companies are requiring potential employees to score well on in order to be considered for a job. Mississippi’s top producers like Nissan in Canton, Toyota in Blue Springs, Ingalls Shipbuilders in Biloxi, Yokohoma Tire in West Point all require potential employees to pass the test before being considered for the job.
Stidham said it helps to also give potential employers in the area an idea of the work force they are encountering.
“I was on vacation, and I stopped at a little coffee shop,” Stidham said. “There was a sign in the window that read ‘Now Hiring, must have a clue.’ And it’s true, the younger generation now doesn’t have a clue.”
She said she feels importance of being on time, actually showing up to work, and having a good work ethic needs to be reinforced in young people.
“Whose fault is that?” Supervisor Ricky Corley asked.
“Well, it’s our fault,” Stidham said. She added that with testing being taught heavily, she didn’t feel real life issues were being taught in school.
At their Dec. 6 meeting, Supervisor Claude Fluker said he feels the program is a great thing and the board should consider becoming a part of the community.
“I think it’s something that could be beneficial for us, and if it’s something the governor is pushing, I think we should look into it,” Fluker said.
Supervisor Jim Neill echoed his sentiments, adding that he’s looked at the map of ACT Work Ready Keys counties, and many counties are starting to come on board.
“I agree, this is something that the governor is definitely pushing,” he said.
Fluker said he wanted to know if the ACT Work Ready Keys test was already offered at J.Z. George High School.
