We were very proud to be partnering with Meade County High School in awarding the first Work Ethic Seals on diplomas to 72 graduating seniors this past spring. The conversation for a Work Ethic Diploma was brought to the high school and chamber in 2015 as a way to bring the business community closer with school students to help teach students to understand the personal development skills necessary to be successful employees. With the input of area educators, business leaders, and post-secondary representatives, standards were developed to measure work ethics in students. The four goals for Work Ethic Diplomas are:
- Supply Central Kentucky employers with skilled workers
- Be a filter for hiring and selecting candidates that have demonstrated knowledge, skills, abilities and commitment to work.
- Reinforce the value of positive Work Ethic and commitment to successful employment.
- Recognize common and identifiable work habits.
With the silver tsunami, (retiring of baby boomers) our city – county – region – state and country is experiencing huge declines of work force. The need for soft skills is the number one priority for many employers seeking to fill positions. What are soft skills? Soft skills are general skills—like the ability to accept feedback, work with others, be a team player, and manage your time. When asking businesses what they need, the most common reply I get is someone to come in on time. These are skills that will help in a wide range of jobs. For a good list use this link .
The standards for our Work Ethic Certification have always been taught in school, but now a more focused approach will be getting our school age youth prepared to understand what is expected after school. Meade County Schools, the Chamber and MC&B Economic Development and local Businesses are teaming up make sure when our youth graduate they are prepared to be successful.
For more information contact the chamber office.
