Arkansas Director of DWS Lauds Workforce Training Initiatives
by July 8, 2013 12:00 am 117 views
The director of Arkansas’ Department of Workforce Services recently told members of the Northwest Arkansas Human Resources Association that the state has world-class geography and world-class transportation infrastructure.
“If you add to that a world-class workforce, we can have a world-class economy,” Artee Williams said. “That’s what we are striving for.”
Williams was the guest speaker at NOARK’s June meeting at the Holiday Inn Northwest Arkansas in Springdale. About 140 attended the luncheon.
Williams spoke about several workforce development initiatives being implemented throughout the state.
He highlighted efforts by the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet to implement the initiatives, funds available to employers to train new and existing employees, a Microsoft Information Technology Academy for high school students and adult jobseekers, and Internet reporting tools that DWS has made available to employers.
He also noted that Arkansas is the first state to offer the Microsoft IT Academy to both students and adult jobseekers.
More than 300 high schools and community colleges offer the free program, which gives Arkansans an opportunity to earn certifications in several MS Office programs, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.
“This is just some of what we are doing,” Williams concluded. “There is more to come.”
NOARK includes about 155 companies in Northwest Arkansas represented by more than 300 members.