Ready for Work

Hosted by Jasen Jones, ACT Work Ready Communities

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Latest episode

Sep 2025

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About the show

We all have a stake in making our communities more competitive. Closing the skills gap and driving economic growth starts at the grassroots level. Tune into the Ready for Work podcast for a discussion about strengthening the workforce ecosystem. Make ACT Ready for Work your go-to source for ideas to revolutionize your workforce. Provided by the experts. Curated by ACT. Learn more at act.org/readyforworkpodcast

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60 recent

September 17, 2025Episode 6222 min

62 Reaching for the STARs in Celebration of Workforce Development Month

ACT celebrates Workforce Development Month with a powerful keynote from LaShana Lewis—technologist, advocate, and Chair of Opportunity@Work’s Stars Advisory Council. Recorded live at ACT’s Atlanta Summit, LaShana shares her personal journey and the systemic barriers faced by STARs—those Skilled Through Alternative Routes. Her story highlights the urgent need for inclusive, skills-based hiring and the role of ACT’s Work Ready Communities in building skills-driven pathways.Connect with LaShana LewisMore STARs Stories with Opportunity@WorkRural STARs Joint Research Partnership with ACT and Opportunity@Work Webinar from ACT’s Center for Impact in Learning featuring LaShana LewisThe Next ACT Summit at NashvilleWorkforce Development Month Resources from NAWDP

August 13, 2025Episode 5926 min

61 - Employer Engagement for a Skills First Future

Episode 61 features Isaac Agbeshie-Noye from the SHRM Foundation, who discusses the Skills First Future initiative and its role in helping employers adopt skills-drivenpractices and expand nationwide opportunities through Learning and Employment Records (LERs). The conversation explores common myths surrounding skills-firsthiring, the challenges employers encounter, and strategies to overcome them.Isaac highlights key tools available at SkillsFirstFuture.org, including the Skills Action Planner and SHRM’s new specialty credential. The episode provides practical insights for HR professionals and their collaborations with educators and workforce leaders aiming to build a high-performing talent ecosystem. Listeners will discover how small adjustments can lead to significant outcomes and why the shift toward skills-first hiring is gaining momentum across various industries.Voices of Excellence:Isaac Agbeshie-Noye, Program DirectorSHRM FoundationWidening Pathways to WorkIssac on Linked InResources from Episode 61Show Notes and Transcript for Episode 61Skills First Future Resources from SHRMACT Workforce SolutionsACT Work Ready Communities

June 17, 2025Episode 6026 min

60 - Put It Where the Goats Can Get It - How to Simplify AI in Workforce Development

From the stage of ACT’s Workforce Summit in Atlanta, episode 60 brings humor, insight, and real-world wisdom on AI’s role in workforce development. Host Jasen Jones is joined by tech experts DJ Burrel, Joshua Cox and Davin Jackson to explore how AI is transforming cybersecurity, government, and education. From ethical hacking to gaming as a gateway to tech careers, the panel breaks down complex topics in a way “the goats can get.” If you’re tech-savvy or just curious, this episode offers practical takeaways and inspiration for navigating the future of work with AI.Voices of Excellence on Episode 60DJ Burel, Manager of Talent Acquisition, Pure Recruiting AgencyJoshua Cox, I.T. Director, City of Forest Park, GADavin Jackson, Founder and CEO, Alpha Esports and Technology/CybersecurityLinks and ResourcesTranscript for Episode 60ACT Work Ready CommunitiesACT Workforce SolutionsWorkKeys Career Readiness DashboardWorkKeys Benchmarks - Information Systems

May 28, 2025Episode 5910 min

59 - From Cradle to Career: The Data-Driven Path to Community Transformation

How early should we begin career development in a child’s life? It’s earlier than you might think. Heidi shares how Strive-Together is helping communities nationwide align around seven key educational milestones—from kindergarten readiness to career entry. Discover how data becomes a flashlight, not a hammer, and why systems thinking, equity, and authentic collaboration are essential for sustainable change.Voices of Excellence and Resources for Episode 59:Heidi Black, Vice President of Training | LinkedInStriveTogether and the Training HubTranscript and Show Notes (PDF)Work Ready Communities at ACTACT Workforce Solutions

May 21, 2025Episode 5816 min

58 - From Gridlock to Growth – Better Pathways to Partnership Impact

What does it take to transform education and workforce systems in a way that truly reflects local needs? In this episode, we explore the Talent Hub designation—a model-agnostic standard recognizing excellence in cross-sector partnerships at the local, regional, and state levels. Born from Lumina Foundation’s work with 75 pioneering partnerships, Talent Hubs represent a new way of thinking about collaboration. National thought leader Dakota Pawlicki joins us to share lessons learned, practical strategies for scaling what works, and bold ideas for the future of talent development partnerships.Voices of Excellence in Episode 58:Dakota Pawlicki, Director of TalentHubs at CivicLab | LinkedInResources for Episode 58:TalentHubs from Civic LabsTranscript and Show Notes (PDF)Work Ready Communities from ACTWorkKeys Workforce SolutionsEpisode 4 on Strategic Doing with Ed MorrisonEpisode 10 overview on Work Ready Communities

December 5, 2024Episode 5715 min

57 - Conquering New Dimensions of Workforce Challenges for Competitive Economic Development

The disconnect between skilled workers and employers is wider than ever, with access to affordable housing and childcare now among the top challenges preventing new commercial investment and job creation. Collaborative workforce ecosystems, like those in Work Ready Communities, are uniquely equipped to tackle these issues, according to Chad Chancellor of the Next Move Group. Chad examines two crucial elements to succeed in the post-pandemic reality of economic development - expanding the scope of workforce ecosystem collaboration and enhancing the role of work-based learning in skills-driven pathways. Chad Chancellor, Next Move Group Chad's Presentation Slides (PDF) Transcript (PDF) ACT Work Ready Communities ACT Workforce Solutions

October 24, 202413 min

56 - Inspire Career Pathways with Manufacturing Month 2024

Celebrated on the first Friday in October, Manufacturing Day is a national movement showcasing modern manufacturing careers. Throughout October, companies and educational institutions open their doors to students, parents, educators, and community leaders. Neil Reddy brought the celebration to the 2024 ACT Workforce Summit. From the stage in Atlanta, Neil shares inspiration for future generations to enter manufacturing, logistics, and supply chain automation along with tips for workforce partners to grow talent pipelines for these sectors. Neil Reddy, CEO Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC) Manufacturing Day Resources WorkKeys Skill Benchmarks for MSSC's CPT Credential WorkKeys Skill Benchmarks for MSSC's CLA and C PT Credentials

September 18, 2024Episode 5534 min

55 - The Power of Essential Skills to Unlock Success_1

With the increasing demand for skills governing workplace behaviors, ACT’s new WorkKeys Essential Skills assessment is designed to measure and develop these crucial competencies for the future. In episode 55, Dr. Alex Casillas delves into the vital importance of essential skills in both education and the workforce. Join us for a deeper exploration of how essential skills can boost job performance, satisfaction, and career advancement, and learn about the tools available to enhance these abilities. Dr. Alex Casillas, Principle Research Psychologist at ACT Show Notes and Transcript (PDF) WorkKeys Essential Skills from ACT Technical Manual on ACT WorkKeys Essential Skills WorkKeys Curriculum Essential Skills Coaching Tools ACT Work Ready Communities ACT Workforce Solutions

September 6, 2024Episode 5436 min

54 - Accelerating Talent Development via Cross Sector Collaboration

With a panel of Work Ready Community champions, episode 54 explores innovative strategies and real-world examples of how partnerships between industries, educational institutions, and government agencies are reshaping workforce development. Accelerating Talent Development via Cross Sector Collaboration features panelists from Nebraska, Ohio, and Mississippi in the August 2024 edition of WRC-Live! Discover how these collaborations are breaking down silos, fostering skill growth, and creating a more adaptable and resilient workforce. Lyndsie Gibbs, Metropolitan Community College of Omaha Alex Lovrien, Metropolitan Community College of Omaha⁠ Justin Burch, Delta Compass Mike Longo, Ohio Means Jobs of Lorain County Tina Gridiron, ACT Fred McConnel, ACT Work Ready Communities Show Notes and Transcript ACT Work Ready Communities ACT Workforce Solutions 2024 ACT Workforce Summit Agenda and Registration

September 4, 2024Episode 5319 min

53 - Finding Your Workforce - Latino Talent for a Global Economy

Finding your Workforce – Latino Talent for a Global Economy highlights best practices to leverage the high labor force participation rate of Latinos, projected to be one in five workers by 2031. Deborah Santiago with Excelencia in Education discusses the importance of developing stackable credentials, providing transition services, and connecting Latino talent to employers. Get ready to uncover actionable insights, debunk common myths, and discover best practices to reduce skill shortages. Deborah A Santiago, CEO with Excelencia in Education Debora on LinkedIn Show Notes and Transcript for Episode 53 (PDF) ACT Work Ready Communities ACT Workforce Solutions