 DWD Funding Local Work Ethic Certification Programs
INDIANAPOLIS (October 11, 2016) – The
Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD) will
provide grants between $25,000 and $50,000 for the development and adoption of
community- and employer-recognized work ethic certification programs
in communities throughout Indiana. According to the Indiana Chamber of Commerce's 2016 Employer Survey, sixty-three percent of Hoosier employers cite employability skills
as the most challenging characteristics to find in applicants and new hires. The State Workforce Innovation Council (SWIC) developed the
Governor’s Work Ethic Certificate (WEC) for Indiana high school students to address the employability skills gap.
“The employability skills outlined
in the Governor’s WEC encourages students to meet benchmarks that best prepare
them for success in the Hoosier workforce,” said Steven J. Braun, DWD
Commissioner. “This program will help close the skills gap cited by Hoosier
employers and create a pipeline of workers with a proven work ethic.”
The Governor’s WEC program has
three fundamental goals designed to:
- Connect employers to their local school district
through a College and Career Readiness Advisory Council designed to create
a collaborative partnership that benefits the community.
- Provide students with an understanding of necessary
employability skills for today’s in-demand jobs and enable them to
demonstrate these skills while in high school.
- Provide employers with potential workers who
understand the values and importance of responsibility and perseverance in
the workplace.
Braun also noted that the
Governor’s WEC has been vetted by Hoosier employers, community-based
organizations and post-secondary education institutions to create
awareness and understanding of the unique workforce needs within local communities.
The Governor’s WEC program will
fund up to 24 local pilot sites during the 2016-17 and 2017-18 school years. School
corporations, consortiums of corporations or regional workforce development
boards serving schools will have an opportunity to apply for one-time funding
through a competitive grant process. School
corporations who do not apply or do not receive grant
funding may still implement the program. Seniors who successfully
complete the program will receive the Governor’s WEC that is signed
by the Governor and DWD Commissioner.
More information about the
Governor’s WEC program, including application guidelines and the project
timeline, is available at in.gov/dwd/workethic.htm.
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