| In the Chattanooga area, as with any region, a highly motivated, well-trained workforce is critical to continued economic growth and prosperity and enhanced quality of life. Recognizing both the challenges and opportunities in today's workplace, the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce is committed to improving workforce quality.
The Chamber's Workforce Development Program brings businesses and services together to address the region's workforce needs. The program's goal is to insure that an available labor force with the skills and education necessary to meet employment demands of the 21st century is produced and retained within the Chattanooga area. For more information please contact Mattie Moran, Director of Education and Workforce Development, at 423-763-4339 or mmoran@chattanoogachamber.com. |
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| ChattanoogaHasJobs.com |
With more than 450,000 hits per week this highly popular job listing site is a great way for employers to connect with qualified applicants. Through Chattanoogahasjobs.com employers receive about 900 applications by email each week. Employers have a choice of paying for one time listings or utilizing an affordable subscription package. Chattanoogahasjobs.com is free for job seekers.
Go to ChattanoogaHasJobs.com.
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| Tri-State Workforce Alliance |
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Established in January 2006, the Tri-State Regional Workforce Alliance brings together workforce and economic development entities from northeast Alabama, Northwest Georgia and southeast Tennessee to advance the region’s economic competitiveness through collaboration of efforts to promote talent development of the area’s workforce. www.TristateWorkForce.com.
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| High School Initiatives |
The Chamber's Workforce Development Committee began its high school initiatives with a career fair for 8th graders which was designed to help guide the students through their high school courses with a career in mind.
The committee then decided to continue an association with the students with an activity each year throughout high school that would demonstrate the importance of education and how it affects their earning potential. Through these activities we are helping develop the workforce of the future. |
Career Crunch. This annual program is a career fair for 8th graders offered to introduce students to careers and the education/training needed to pursue these careers. During the two-day event students talk one-on-one with professionals about their careers.
Reality Check. Reality Check is a mock exercise that provides 9th graders with an understanding of household budgeting challenges in the grown-up world. It also stresses the connection between education and income. Reality Check is offered at each high school every year. Community volunteers are needed to assist with this event.
Get A Job. Prepares the 21st Century Workforce. Interviewing skills, completing job applications and dressing for success are among the topics discussed with 10th graders at local high schools
The program is the latest in the Chamber’s series of career awareness initiatives, designed to help prepare area high school students for success on the job.
Get a job will be presented in all of the Hamilton County Schools beginning this fall. In addition to the Chamber, other sponsors include Society of Human Resource Mangers (SHRM) Chattanooga, Chattanooga State Technical Community College, Chattanooga Times Free Press, Hamilton County Schools, Komatsu, Tennessee Valley Authority and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
Who wants to be a Millionaire? This money management progam for 11th graders focuses on savings and credit card management through the use of an interactive PowerPoint presentation.
The College & Career Fair. The College & Career Fair gives 11th and 12th graders the opportunity to network with college representatives and members of the business community. Vendors participate by setting up booths and sharing information on their college/university as well as businesses sharing career opportunities at their company.
Other initiatives being explored by the Workforce Development Committee include financial planning and Take Your Daughters and Sons to work.
If you would like to volunteer to help present these programs to high school students, contact Cathy Humble at 423-763-4321 or chumble@chattanoogachamber.com.
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| WorkKeysâ |
| The implementation of WorkKeysâ in a community ensures that students and employees are adequately prepared for higher-skill, higher-wage jobs. Employers can identify and develop workers for a wide range of skilled jobs. Employers also profile and identify specific levels of skills needed for positions. Students and workers can document and advance their employability skills, and educational institutions can tailor instructional programs to help students acquire the skills employers need. |
What is WorkKeysâ?
WorkKeysâ is a national, industry-driven system of job profiling, assessment and instructional support that helps businesses identify the skills and skills levels employees must have to perform jobs effectively. It empowers businesses to make better hiring and promotion decisions and individuals to make more informed career decisions.
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| Career Readiness Certificate |
Sometimes called "The Fourth R," readiness joins the standards—reading, writing, and arithmetic—as the 21st Century measure of capacity to enter and remain in the workforce as a contributing employee. Career Readiness refers to the ability to move on to:
• Entry-level work
• A career
• Further education |
The realities of today’s economy are well documented. Economic development in local, state, and regional areas is affected by the global economy. Individuals must attain higher skill levels than ever to get a job and stay employed. Businesses look for workers with documented skills to succeed in high performance work settings. Industry, community, and government leaders see the need for regional and state initiatives to increase workforce skills and improve the quality of life for the individuals they represent.
The Career Readiness Certificate utilizes the WorkKeysâ assessment test developed by ACTä, a nationally recognized leader in educational testing. ACTä is best known for its college entrance exam, which measures one’s potential to succeed in the academic world. Likewise, the WorkKeysâ system measures a candidate’s potential to succeed in the business/working world. The WorkKeysâ system provides an innovative approach to bridge the skills gap in the workplace.
What is a Career Readiness Certificate?
A career readiness certificate is a portable credential based upon the WorkKeysâ assessments that confirm to employers that an individual possesses the basic workplace skills required for 21st Century jobs. The Career Readiness Certificate assesses in three different skill areas:
• Applied Mathematics
• Reading for Information
• Locating Information
These skill areas were determined because they were the most utilized assessments in the Occupational Profile database at ACTä, which contains about 10,000 job profiles.
What are the levels of Career Readiness Certificates?
Three levels of certificates standardize skills that indicate the certificate holder is job ready. The three levels allow an individual to advance his/her skill level in order to qualify for more jobs.
Bronze Level—Indicates the certificate holder possesses core employability skills for approximately 30% of the profiled jobs.
Silver Level—Indicates the certificate holder possesses core employability skills for approximately 65% of the profiled jobs.
Gold Level—Indicates the certificate holder possesses core employability skills for approximately 90% of the profiled jobs.
For individuals who do not initially achieve the Career Readiness Certificate, assessment results will indicate the targeted training needed to achieve the skill level(s) necessary to obtain the certificate. The Tennessee Career Centers will assist those individuals in increasing their skills levels through the use of KeyTrainä software.
Who endorses the Career Readiness Certificate?
The Career Readiness Certificate is endorsed by:
• Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce
• Chattanooga Housing Authority
• Chattanooga Manufacturers’ Association
• Chattanooga State Technical Community College
• City of Chattanooga
• Hamilton County
• Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development
• Tennessee Department of Economic & Community Development
• Tennessee Department of Human Services
• Signal Centers
• Southeast Tennessee Development District
• Southeast Tennessee Workforce Investment Board
What benefits from participating in the Career Readiness Certificate program will I realize as a business owner or manager?
Benefits to business and industry include:
• Guarantees a better quality job applicant
• Reduces hiring expenses
• Reduces attrition
• Business driven system
• Legally defensible
How do I get started?
Contact your nearest Southeast Tennessee Career Center.
(Area Code 423)
Chattanooga 894-5354
Dayton 570-1107
Athens 745-2028
Dunlap 949-6648
Cleveland 473-9459
Kimball 837-9103
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| KeyTrainä |
| KeyTrainä is a comprehensive, yet easy-to-use system for improving the basic skills measured by the WorkKeys® Employment System. Using KeyTrainä, you can assess your potential WorkKeysâ score, review topics in each WorkKeys skill area, and practice problems similar to those on an actual WorkKeysâ assessment. |
The KeyTrainä system includes targeted, self-paced instruction, pre- and post-assessments, a complete learning management system and an occupational job profiles database. These components can be used to help individuals learn, practice and demonstrate the skills they need to succeed in the jobs and careers they desire.
KeyTrainä is available at the following locations:
Chattanooga State 697-3100
Southeast Tennessee Career Centers
Chattanooga 894-5354
Athens 745-2028
Cleveland 473-9459
Dayton 570-1107
Dunlap 949-6648
Kimball 837-9103
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