Certificate proves applicant’s skills

We have reached a crucial crossroads as the Iowa economy continues to recover from the recession. Iowa companies are beginning to hire again and our unemployment rates are returning to more tolerable levels.

Now is the time for state and local officials to provide job seekers with innovative resources that hone their job skills and improve their job search experience. As chair of the Iowa Workforce Development Board, I am proud to say our Skilled Iowa Initiative is doing just that. Skilled Iowa is offering job seekers and students from around the state the opportunity to earn a National Career Readiness Certificate, or NCRC, at no cost.

The NCRC is an evidence-based credential that measures essential workplace skills in three areas: applied mathematics, reading for information and information location. It allows job seekers to demonstrate their skills to employers, regardless of prior work experience or educational history. The NCRC provides employers with vital information, allowing them to quickly match open positions with qualified workers. Apprenticeship programs also can use the NCRC to screen potential students.

As more Iowans earn an NCRC, more jobs in our communities will be filled and more of our neighbors, friends, and families will prosper.

Dee Vanderhoef

Iowa City