Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

CCIC Hears From Center

Test scores on prospective employees have dropped, according to Tim Stokes, director of the Southwest Arkansas Learning Center.

Stokes told members of the Clark County Industrial Council, at its quarterly meeting Thursday, Dec. 21, the average score has dropped from 11.3 to 9.9 in reading.

When the center was in its initial stage, Stokes worked with human resource directors to find out what the various industries needed. According to the data recorded, prospective employees needed to read and have math skills at the 10.2 grade level.

This wasn't the problem early on, but has changed with time.

Stokes said 225 people have been assessed and certified, with 73 being hired. This leaves a pool of 152 available, qualified workers. Overall, 594 people have been tested in a five-month period.

At this point, the idea is to have the potential employees with the basic educational skills needed so they can be taught what the industry hiring them needs them to know.

Something needs to be done within the educational system, Stokes said, to get the grades up, as the skill level must be up to meet the needs of new technologies.

Testing is transitioning into the ACT system, with four people currently authorized to give these tests.

Once the transition has been made, he said, those being tested will have to know more than math and reading. Other issues on the test will include teamwork and listening capabilities.

Clark County will be part of a pilot program with the Employment Security Division, wherein jobs available in the county will be posted on the Internet at an ESD website.

Those looking for jobs could see what the requirements are and apply on-line.

Stokes said the programming will cost about $200,000, and could take a year to implement.

When done, 40 different job descriptions will be profiled.

In addition, Stokes will be working with area high schools to have industrial courses added to the curriculum. He's working to get a $1.6 million grant to get this done.

However, until the General Assembly meets in 2001 and figures out the budget, how this grant will be affected is not known, he said.

In other business, the CCIC heard a report from Debbie Sorrells on what the existing industries committee did in 2000.

The committee sponsored an industry-appreciation golf tournament, with a good turnout.

The group met twice to discuss other ideas on how to work with existing industry and show them they're appreciated. One idea kicked around was a chili cook-off.

Sorrells said this may be done in the fall of 2001 at the Clark County Fairgrounds to give the committee time to get everything in place.

CCIC President Brown Hardman said six members will be going off the board this year, and new ones need to be appointed.

A nominating committee consisting of Freddy Lynch, Eudis Goza and John Miller was appointed to find new board members.

Hardman suggested the committee try to be more diverse in getting new members, possibly working to put younger people on board with fresh ideas and a different perspective.

He added the annual CCIC membership drive is currently underway, with the goal being 500 members.