Workers are needed across the state to fill workforce needs.

The Kansas State Board of Education, working with Kansas legislators, are providing the opportunity for juniors in high school, including Fort Scott, to take assessments to help fill those workforce needs.

The title of the program is ACT Work Ready Community and is paid for by Kansas legislators in collaboration with the state board of education.

Students are offered two assessments for the program and can either take the ACT, or ACT WorkKeys, or both.

The program facilitators are hoping to fill job vacancies in Bourbon County.

“An opportunity was seen to provide a connection for local Bourbon County employers to gain understanding of the ACT and the ACT WorkKeys assessment to help fill and build their workforce,” USD 234 Superintendent Ted Hessong said.  “The opportunity for juniors to take the ACT assessments will continue this school year and for years to come.”

A career readiness certificate can be earned, after taking an assessment, which will help to evaluate future employees for the workforce skills needed.

The program allows employers to use it as a tool to see if the skills set will work for their need.

“ACT Work Ready Community is a program to provide Bourbon County the distinction of a county where the employers recognize the ACT WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate earned upon completion of taking the ACT WorkKeys assessment, as a tool to evaluate future employees,” Hessong said.

The basis of the certification: current and future workers earn the certificate and the employers recognize the credential.

“Employers can be the fuel to drive successful state and county Work Ready Communities initiatives simply by recognizing the ACT® WorkKeys® National Career Readiness Certificate®. And in doing so, they will have a more qualified workforce ready to fill their jobs,” according to the ACT Work Ready Communities website.