'Work Ready' kicks off to help economy

DALTON, Ga. -- The Governor's Office of Workforce Development launched Hire Work Ready this month -- a program providing money to small businesses that hire people with Work Ready certificates.

To qualify, businesses must have 50 or fewer employees and be in good financial standing with the state. Employers receive $250 for each Work Ready individual hired, up to five new employees, said Debra Lyons, director of the Governor's Office of Workforce Development.

Ms. Lyons said the Georgia Work Ready program -- aimed at developing the state's work force -- already has elements in place to help larger businesses. One is the job-profiling program in which Work Ready officials assess specific company jobs and match them with needed levels of certification.

"We didn't have anything for small business," Ms. Lyons said. "Job profiling doesn't lend itself well to a small business that may only be hiring one or two people in a specific job."

The new Hire Work Ready program is meant to offset what small businesses pay to hire and train new employees.

About $500,000 was designated from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for Hire Work Ready this year, Ms. Lyons said.

"We're looking to target 400 companies; that would be 2,000 workers," she said.

Interested businesses must sign up at the Georgia Work Ready Web site, www.gaworkready.org, and participate in a conference call about the program, she said.

About 30 companies throughout the state already are registered, including Innovative Support Solutions, a technology support company based in Ellijay, Ga.

Owner Sheryl Shinn said the program will help her "sort out people who have skills that are necessary ... and $250 for employees is better than getting nothing for hiring somebody that you think is qualified," she said.

Brian Cooksey, chairman of Whitfield County's Workforce Development Committee, said the Hire Work Ready program will benefit many small businesses.

"With business being tough and money being tight across the community, it's a nice incentive to have some free money to offset some of the training and recruiting costs that a business may have," he said.

GEORGIA WORK READY

For job seekers:

* Certification: Workers complete a free test (There are testing sites throughout the state.) and earn a bronze-, silver-, gold- or platinum-level certificate to show potential employers.

* Be Work Ready: Unemployed residents who earn a Work Ready Certificate qualify for a $100 prepaid credit card that can be used to buy a number of things needed to help find a job. Unemployed residents also can earn a $200 prepaid card for improving their Work Ready certification level.

For employers:

* Job profiling: Work Ready officials identify the job tasks and skill levels needed for a company's specific jobs. Companies then can match those profiles with levels of Work Ready certification. Officials say it lowers hiring/training costs and increases employee retention.

For communities:

* Certified Work Ready Communities: A specified percentage of the available and current work force must earn Work Ready Certificates for a community to be certified, touted as a way to attract new businesses and jobs.

Source: www.gaworkready.org

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Visit the Georgia Work Ready Web site at www.gaworkready.org.