The Career Ready Certificate evolved from Troup Trained that emerged in 2011 through collaboration between LaGrange-Troup County Chamber of Commerce’s Workforce Development Committee, West Georgia Technical College, Troup County Center for Strategic Planning, West Central (Three Rivers) Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA / WorkSource Georgia), and other stakeholders. Troup Trained was a seven-week bootcamp for unemployed adults and comprised entry-level manufacturing skills to support recruitment for manufacturing employers in and around Troup County.
Troup Trained soon evolved into a concept that is flexible and caters to local employers in any industry by customizing the curriculum based on more commonly desired entry-level skills for unemployed adults, high school seniors, and for those who are incarcerated in correctional facilities. This concept quickly spread around the state using a variety of names such as:
- Career Ready
- Industry Ready
- Fast Track
- ManufactuReady
- Workplace Fundamentals
- Get2Work
- Workforce Fundamentals
- Manufacturing Ready
- Workforce Development Program
- Manufacturing Basics
- Workforce Training Academy
- Murray Works
Career Ready Certificate is designed for high school seniors who do NOT plan to go to college. It is intended to help motivate them to pursue employment immediately after graduation and to consider career planning that may include the possibility of college in the future. It is also designed to help support local employers with entry-level recruitment.
Emphasis is placed on work ethic … showing up every day and on-time, working well with others, completion of work, etc. Curriculum varies but most programs solicit input from local employers to identify more commonly desired entry-level skills such as forklift operator, OSHA 10-Hour General Industry, ServSafe Food Handler, CPR, financial planning, career and academic planning, communication, customer service, industry tours, etc.
Participants are usually CTAE students but some high schools prefer to target non CTAE students who haven’t had any exposure to this type of training or to local employers. Selection of students is usually accomplished by counselors and / or CTAE administrators who strategically consider students who have no intentions of going to college, are on schedule for graduation, and will most likely complete the program and pursue employment immediately after graduation.
The best location for classes is at the high school to minimize travel. If the program may comprise more than one high school, then the next best location is usually at the technical college.
The duration for Career Ready Certificate varies but most range from 5-10 days. The days may be consecutive or they may only be select days during two or more weeks during one or more months. The daily begin and end times are typically the same as the normal school schedule.
If held at the high school, then lunch is typically the same as usual. However a best practice is when participating employers may sponsor industry tours that include lunch for the students. It’s a great way for employers to do some pre-recruitment and to break up the day by providing students with some much needed exposure to employer facilities and operations.
Career Ready Certificate culminates with a luncheon that also includes participating employers and community stakeholders who all celebrate the presentation of certificates and industry credentials to the students. The luncheon concludes with a job fair for the students who are guaranteed interviews with participating employers.
More common funding sources have been development authorities, chambers of commerce, partner employers, grants, or WorkSource Georgia (WIOA) for students who may qualify for funding..
Below are three recent examples for Career Ready Certificate:
Clinch County HS
- Apr 26
- 8-11:36am – Workplace Respect
- 11:39am-12:04pm – Lunch
- 12:14-3:15pm – Personal Productivity
- Apr 27
- 8-11:36am – ServSafe Food Handler
- 11:39am-12:04pm – Lunch
- 12:14-3:15pm – Responsible Employees
- Apr 28
- 8-11:36am – Forklift Operator
- 11:39am-12:04pm – Lunch
- 12:14-3:15pm – Forklift Operator
- May 1
- 8-11:36am – OSHA 10
- 11:39am-12:04pm – Lunch
- 12:14-3:15pm – OSHA 10
- May 2
- 8-11:36am – OSHA 10
- 11:39am-12:04pm – Lunch
- 12:14-3:15pm - Work Accountability
- May 3
- 8-11:36am – Critical Thinking
- 11:39am-12:39pm – Lunch Presentation of Certificates
- 12:45-1:42pm – Participant Interviews
- 1:42-2:45pm – Open Interviews
Glynn Academy, Brunswick HS, & McIntosh County Academy
- Feb 9
- 8:40-10:55am: Customer Service
- 10:55-11:15am: Travel
- 11:15am-12:30pm: Employer Sponsored Lunch & Tour #1
- 12:30-12:50pm: Travel
- 12:50-3:05pm: Workplace Respect
- Mar 1
- 8:40-10:55am: Group #1 = OSHA Forklift Operator
- 10:55-11:15am: Travel
- 11:15am-12:30pm: Employer Sponsored Lunch & Tour #2
- 12:30-12:50pm: Travel
- 12:50-3:05pm: Group #1 = OSHA Forklift Operator
- Mar 8
- 8:40-10:55am: Social Intelligence
- 10:55-11:15am: Travel
- 11:15am-12:30pm: Employer Sponsored Lunch & Tour #3
- 12:30-12:50pm: Travel
- 12:50-3:05pm: Taking Initiative
- Mar 22
- 8:40-10:55am: ServSafe Food Handler
- 10:55-11:15am: Travel
- 11:15am-12:30pm: Employer Sponsored Lunch & Tour #4
- 12:30-12:50pm: Travel
- 12:50-3:05pm: ServSafe Food Handler
- Apr 12
- 8:40-10:55am: Group #2 = OSHA Forklift Operator
- 10:55-11:15am: Travel
- 11:15am-12:30pm: Employer Sponsored Lunch & Tour #5
- 12:30-12:50pm: Travel
- 12:50-3:05pm: Group #2 = OSHA Forklift Operator
- Apr 26
- 8:40-10:55am: Workplace Relations
- 10:55-11:15am: Travel
- 11:15am-12:30pm: Employer Sponsored Lunch & Tour #6
- 12:30-12:50pm: Travel
- 12:50-1:20pm: Career & Academic Planning
- 1:20-2:30pm: Financial Planning
- 2:30-3:05pm: Presentation of Certificates
- TBD: Job Fair (TBD)
Bacon County HS
- Nov 10
- 8am-12:27pm: Clifton Strengths
- Nov 17
- 8-10am: Customer Service
- 10:15am-12:27pm: Workplace Relations
- Dec 8
- 8-10am: Social Intelligence
- 10:15am-12:27pm: Taking Initiative
- Jan 12
- 8am-12:27pm: Basic Electricity / Electronics
- Jan 26
- 8am-12:27pm: Basic Electricity / Electronics
- Feb 9
- 8am-12:27pm: Industry Tours
- Feb 23
- 8am-12:27pm: Industry Tours
- Mar 8
- 8am-12:27pm: Group #1 = Forklift Operator
- Mar 22
- 8am-12:27pm: Group #2 = Forklift Operator
- Apr 9
- 8am-12:27pm: Job Fair
- Apr 12
- 8am-12:27pm: Financial Literacy and Employability Skills
- 12:27-12:57pm: Lunch Presentation of Certificates
