Through Wiregrass Georgia Technical College, the Work Ready program has helped people become Work Ready certified and find jobs, helped employers find qualified job candidates, and provided training for business and industry employees and high school students. These things were done at no charge over the past four years.  Now, because of the loss of the Governor’s WIA Discretionary Funds which allowed these services to be available at no charge, there are some changes to the program.

The Work Ready assessments to help people become certified remain available at no charge to the following:

1. Georgia residents who have been unemployed at some point within the 12 months prior to testing (not necessarily currently unemployed) and provide a separation letter/notice or payment record from Georgia Department of Labor for unemployment compensation dated within that period
2. Georgia residents providing documentation of TANF benefits indicating unemployment at some point within the 12 months prior to testing
3. Individuals who have a job code from an open job listed on www.workreadyconnect.org. Residents of other states may take the assessments at no charge to obtain a job in Georgia if that job is listed on this site.

While many will be able to provide the above documentation and take the assessments at no charge, others will need to pay a fee.  To take the Reading for Information, Applied Mathematics, and Locating Information assessments, the total fee is $35. 

Employers who recognize Work Ready certificates when hiring are encouraged to post their job openings at www.workreadyconnect.org to help them find candidates who are certified and to allow people to take the certification assessments at no charge. 

Individuals can register for the assessments at www.wiregrass.edu/business/work.php.  For more information, please contact Dr. Penelope Schmidt at Wiregrass Georgia Technical College at 229-333-2121.