Youth Town residence receive skills certificate

On Monday, January 13th, 2009, two Youth Town residents, Andre Rockett and Thomas Toone, received Career Readiness Certificates. The certificates were presented on behalf of the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development Commissioner James Neeley and Governor Phil Bredesen.

A Career Readiness Certificate is simply a portable credential based upon the WorkKeys assessments that confirm to employers that an individual possesses the basic workplace skills required for 21st Century jobs. The assessment is administered in part by the Local Workforce Investment Act (LWIA) and evaluates three different areas which include: applied mathematics, reading for information, and locating information.

Both Rockett and Toone received their certificates while attending a “Power Hour” service at the Youth Town campus. Youth Town is a Christian residential treatment center committed to helping troubled teenage youths and their families.

“LWIA-11 was honored to be able assess the residents at Youth Town,” said LWIA-11 MIS Coordinator Merita Stone. “We were so proud of Andre and Thomas whom were the first to be assessed there.”

According to Stone, there will be more Career Readiness Certificate assessments given to Youth Town residents in the future.

“We are in hopes that even more residents will receive certificates in the very near future,” stated Stone.