Gov. Sonny Perdue and George Israel, CEO of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, have announced the launch of Hire Work Ready, a new initiative designed to provide funding to small businesses that hire Work Ready-certified employees.
Companies that employ 50 or fewer people are eligible to receive $250 for each Work Ready-certified person they hire, up to a total of $1,250, to help with hiring and training costs. This funding comes from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. To be eligible, firms must participate in an information session and be in good financial standing with the state.
“Our state’s small businesses are the engine that drives our economy, Perdue said in his in announcement. “To ensure our state’s long-term prosperity, it is imperative that we give them the tools necessary to not only weather the economic downturn, but to also emerge stronger and ready for growth.”
Work Ready certification is achieved through assessment testing and skills gap training, and the program also offers a job profiling system for businesses to help them match open positions with qualified applicants.
Efforts are under way by the Liberty County Chamber of Commerce and its partners in Work Ready projects, including Savannah Technical College, to help bring Work Ready status to Liberty County. Several larger employers such as Liberty Regional Medical Center are already requesting Work Ready certification from job applicants.
The governor’s office has estimated that Hire Work Ready will encourage the hiring of 2,000 certified citizens by more than 400 small businesses throughout Georgia. Small businesses that would like to apply for the reimbursement should visit www.gaworkready.org and follow the links.
“Georgia Work Ready is one of our state’s strongest economic development tools because it ensures we have the best possible workforce,” Israel said. “By hiring certified individuals, our state’s small businesses can enjoy all the benefits larger employers enjoy—great productivity, lower training costs and higher morale.”
Companies that employ 50 or fewer people are eligible to receive $250 for each Work Ready-certified person they hire, up to a total of $1,250, to help with hiring and training costs. This funding comes from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. To be eligible, firms must participate in an information session and be in good financial standing with the state.
“Our state’s small businesses are the engine that drives our economy, Perdue said in his in announcement. “To ensure our state’s long-term prosperity, it is imperative that we give them the tools necessary to not only weather the economic downturn, but to also emerge stronger and ready for growth.”
Work Ready certification is achieved through assessment testing and skills gap training, and the program also offers a job profiling system for businesses to help them match open positions with qualified applicants.
Efforts are under way by the Liberty County Chamber of Commerce and its partners in Work Ready projects, including Savannah Technical College, to help bring Work Ready status to Liberty County. Several larger employers such as Liberty Regional Medical Center are already requesting Work Ready certification from job applicants.
The governor’s office has estimated that Hire Work Ready will encourage the hiring of 2,000 certified citizens by more than 400 small businesses throughout Georgia. Small businesses that would like to apply for the reimbursement should visit www.gaworkready.org and follow the links.
“Georgia Work Ready is one of our state’s strongest economic development tools because it ensures we have the best possible workforce,” Israel said. “By hiring certified individuals, our state’s small businesses can enjoy all the benefits larger employers enjoy—great productivity, lower training costs and higher morale.”