Kingston, Tenn. – December 19, 2019 —The Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity (AZOEO > OEO), the Arizona Commerce Authority, and the Arizona Department of Economic Security, in partnership with WIN Learning, have extended their agreement to continue building career pathways and helping job seekers reenter the workforce through a statewide program known as the Arizona Career Readiness Credential (ACRC) initiative, which began in 2018. To date, more than 500 employer locations have partnered as ACRC Employer Advocates and more than 3,500 learners have participated in the Arizona Career Readiness Credential. This partnership between education, workforce, and business/industry has shown tremendous progress helping employers reduce their turnover rate and identify qualified candidates with the academic and employability skills necessary for jobs they are looking to fill. 

Through this partnership, employers can recruit highly-qualified talent who have obtained an Arizona Career Readiness Credential. The desired effect is that job seekers, especially those who have experienced long-term unemployment, are able to demonstrate to potential employers that they have mastered the skills that are most important in the roles they are trying to fill locally. On the ACRC website, job seekers can find Employer Advocates whose role is to identify candidates with the credential who have  the necessary skills to pursue further education, training, and/or employment.

“Our objective is to align Arizona’s efforts to better match its workforce with its employers’ needs. We are focusing attention on improving the skill level of the labor force available to Arizona employers, and especially employers looking to move to or expand within Arizona,” said Andy Ridley, Workforce Program Manager of AZOEO > OEO. “We want to continue our work to provide a readiness path to success for both job seekers and employers in need of qualified candidates in key industries in the state, including health care and manufacturing.”

 “We are pleased to be a partner with the state of Arizona and the Office of Economic Opportunity to provide the career readiness and employability credentialing,” said WIN Learning CEO, Dr. Teresa Chasteen. “The state’s commitment to preparing students and job seekers through the Arizona Career Readiness Credential aligns to the partnerships and activities we have been known to support across the country. We are committed to our continued support and development efforts to assist the state and employers to help job seekers achieve lifelong career success.” 

To learn more about the Arizona Career Readiness Credential and how job seekers and employers can benefit in obtaining the credential or partnering, visit www.ACRC.AZ.gov.

About ARIZONA Office of Economic Opportunity

The Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity exists to consolidate and improve analytic capacity for the state with the goal of identifying Arizona’s economic advantages and disadvantages. AZOEO > OEO fulfills this objective by serving as Arizona’s workforce planning coordinator; collecting and refining employment surveys; providing economic and demographic research and analysis; providing staffing and support to the Workforce Arizona Council; and evaluating regulatory and taxation costs at the state and local level. The office works with essential partners including Arizona’s local areas, the US Department of Labor, and partner state agencies to create data-driven competitiveness for employers and the workforce. Overall, AZOEO > OEO strives to facilitate the measurable improvement of key indicators of prosperity in Arizona with this work. For more information, visit https://oeo.az.gov/.

About WIN Learning

Since 1996, WIN has become the leading provider of career-readiness solutions to help business, industry, workforce, and districts prepare pathways for students’ and job seekers’ futures, whether they are college, trade school, military, or workplace bound. To date, more than 10 million students worldwide have participated in the specialized career-driven courseware and education intervention initiatives as well as career-readiness certification programs. For more information, go to www.winlearning.com or call 888-717-9461.  

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