Ozark County earns status as ‘Work Ready Community’

Ozark County Commissioners were notified recently that the county has earned “Certified Work Ready Community” status. The workreadycommunities.org website explains that, by achieving the credential, “counties can both identify skill gaps and quantify the skill level of their workforce. This helps educators build career pathways aligned to the needs of business and industry – and it also helps a community stand out and be recognized for its workforce development efforts. A strong workforce is a tremendous economic development advantage.”

In announcing the status, Teri Ebel, business services representative with the Missouri Job Center in West Plains, expressed special thanks to “Gainesville High School and to the Ozark County and Theodosia chambers of commerce for their support of Ozark County’s Certified Work-Ready Community effort.”

The website says Work Read Community status demonstrates the county “has the partnerships in place that support a robust workforce development.”