Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Staff Report
Tucumcari — On Nov. 14, Quay County became the second county in New Mexico to earn a Work Ready Community designation from ACT, a non-profit testing company.
“Our Work Read Community status will encourage businesses to expand or locate operations in the county,” Patrick Vanderpool, executive director of the Tucumcari Economic Development Corporation, said. “It is a nationally-recognized demonstration that the county's workforce is ready to help employers succeed in Quay County.”
Vanderpool said Quay and San Juan counties are the only two state counties to win the designation, according to ACT's Work Ready Communities website, http://www.workreadycommunities.org.
The New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions supports the ACT Work Ready Communities program by offering ACT's Work Keys assessment at no cost to job seekers.
Vanderpool said to earn the Work Ready Community designation, local officials in Quay County administered Work Keys assessments to 134 individuals. He said of that number, 132 scored at the Bronze level or better. The four levels are Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum.
Individuals who score at the Bronze level or better receive a National Career Readiness Certificate from ACT, a credential that applies nationwide among employers who use Work Keys test scores as part of their evaluation process for hiring, according to ACT literature.
Vanderpool said in Quay County, 13 employers currently recognize the National Career Readiness Certificate as a demonstration of an applicant's competency and support the Work Ready Communities initiative.
The employers include Dan C. Trigg Memorial Hospital, Arch Hurley Conservancy District, Quay County government, Kix on 66 restaurant, Del's Restaurant, Mis Amigos Family Services. Tucumcari Animal Hospital, Roadrunner Lodge, Mesalands Community College, Rugged Inc., Tucumcari General Insurance, Buena Vista Labs and the city of Tucumcari.
The Tucumcari Public Library offers the Work Keys assessments free of charge, but librarians ask people who want to take the test to make an appointment. Each assessment requires an hour to complete. The library can be reached at 575-461-0295.
Quay County's Work Keys assessment results are available at http://www.workreadycommunities.org/NM/037.