Tanner, 20, never really enjoyed school. He graduated, but he didn't think he'd go back. He went to work as a line cook and spent three years at minimum wage. He knew the restaurant industry wasn't for him so he went to work as a lift operator at Mt. Spokane.

 

When the season closed, he went to WorkSource, which referred him to the Next Generation Zone. He had planned to become an electrician, but when an apprenticeship didn't pan out, he was open to other options. His career coach Robin Knott thought he would be a good candidate for Air Washington at Spokane Community College, which trains people in the aerospace industry.

 

Tanner was accepted into the program, and within two weeks, he was five weeks ahead in math. "I'm doing second year engineering math, and it's starting to click," he said. 

 

However, he still needed employment so he went to Air Washington Navigator Mary Stanton, who referred him to Associated Painters. He could tell the company was uneasy since he is young and had no prior experience in the field. Robin went with Tanner to Associated Painters and offered an On-the-Job Training contract, which helps defray the cost of training a new employee. "I think it was a big help," said Tanner. "It eased their minds." Robin was also able to help outfit him with the proper attire needed to work in manufacturing.

 

Now Tanner works swing shift painting airplanes so his days are free to attend class. He is planning on getting his associate degree at SCC and then transferring to a four-year university to earn a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering.  

 

He said the Next Generation Zone was a huge help in getting him on a career path. "I wouldn't even have known about the job. I didn't even know we painted planes in Spokane," he said. 

Staff from the WDC, along with Association of Washington Businesses, Center of Excellence for Aerospace and Advanced Manufacturing (representing the Washington State Board for Community & Technical Colleges), Lower Columbia Community College, and Workforce Snohomish, traveled to Raleigh, North Carolina this month to participate in an ACT-sponsored Work Ready Communities Academy Session. Washington joins approximately 15 other states who have been previously certified as "Work Ready," and is participating in the current academy with Michigan and North Carolina to learn about a variety of methods for implementing the National Career Readiness Certificate statewide.

The National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) is a work readiness credential that can be earned after the successful completion of three WorkKeys assessments that are designed to measure the tester's ability to apply concepts in the workplace. The assessment areas include reading, math, and critical thinking. Employers from across the county have been using the assessments to select the best possible employees based on their specific skill sets. Recently, Bill Hoffer, CEO of Hoffer Plastics Corporation in Elgin, Illinois, was interviewed for PBS Newshour about why his company uses the NCRC. 

"One of the primary reasons we are interested in Washington being recognized as a Work Ready state is to demonstrate the skills of our workforce. The data we collect can be used for business recruitment and expansion, helping a job seeker better understand and promote their core competencies, assisting businesses with finding the right employees and aligning education and training with the needs of employers," said Dawn Karber WDC Chief Operating Officer. 

In addition to the team who traveled to North Carolina, there are a variety of individuals and agencies exploring how to implement the NCRC across in Washington, including Governor Inslee, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, Department of Commerce and Employment Security Department.