Mutual of America announced today that the Soft Skills Certification Initiative was named a Merit Finalist award recipient of its 2017 Community Partnership Award competition.
In 2012, Junior Achievement of West Kentucky partnered with Greater Owensboro Economic Development Corporation and the Regional Alliance for Education to create the Soft Skills Certification Initiative, a workforce development program aimed at preparing students for success in the workplace. To earn certification, high school seniors must complete all seven sessions of the Junior Achievement Career Success® program, which uses trained business volunteers to deliver soft-skills training aimed at improving career readiness.
Students are required to maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA, a strong record of school attendance and participate in at least two co-curricular activities. Students who receive their Certification are guaranteed an interview for any open position at the 200+ companies that recognize the program.
“Through our partnership with area high schools and local businesses across a four-county area, we’re bringing corporate standards to the classroom,” said Dan Douglas, President of Junior Achievement of West Kentucky. “Since 2012, 4,971 high school seniors have participated in the program. Their success and ours has become a model for other counties in the region to demonstrate their commitment to the education, workforce and economic development goals that are necessary to build and sustain vibrant, thriving communities.”