Through a collaborative grant, funds were received from Virginia Tech Prep to train profilers in the Blue Ridge Region. In addition, Virginia Tech has been approved as a Work Keys Super Center. Dr. Roseanne Foti, Dept. of Industrial Organizational Psychology, is now a certified Work Keys profiler trainer. A number of her graduate students have been or will be trained as profilers. The Council took the lead in pointing out the potential of Work Keys for workforce development to the VMA leadership.
Education is like an airplane . . .
Work Keys is a valid and reliable vehicle for connecting school to work. Through the use of a common metric, it provides a way for employers to qualify and quantify to educators the skills they need in employees. The VMA, viewing more effective workforce development as essential if Virginia is to maintain and improve its competitive position in an international economy, is encouraging its members to implement Work Keys. Everyone will benefit, including learners preparing to enter the workforce, employees who must be concerned about remaining employable in a constantly changing workplace, the economy, and taxpayers who must be concerned about the effective use of existing resources for education and training, says MacIlroy. In this world of change as it relates to business and industry, it is vital that we have a common language whereby employers, educators, and job seekers can communicate.