AT&T today announced that it has made a $10,000 AT&T Aspire contribution to the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) of Wayne County in support of Wayne County’s ACT Certified Work Ready Community Initiative.  AT&T’s signature philanthropic initiative, AT&T Aspire drives innovation in education – through technology, social innovation and relationships – to ensure all students have the skills they need to succeed in school and beyond.

Wayne County’s ACT Certified Work Ready Community Initiative boosts workforce development efforts at the high school level by providing local students with WorkKeys career assessments. These assessments gauge a student’s skill level and allow them to see what employment opportunities are available in the county, based on their career choice.  Thanks to the AT&T Aspire funding, more than 400 students will benefit from the WorkKeys evaluations.

“Helping high school graduates find and succeed at careers with our companies is a critical step in strengthening the county’s workforce now and into the future,” said EDC of Wayne County President Valerie Shaffer.  “We’re thrilled to have this backing from AT&T, as we believe the data gathered through WorkKeys assessments is important to helping local talent succeed and stay in our community.”

“It’s never too early to encourage teenagers to discover their passions and potential,” said State Sen. Jeff Raatz.  “We appreciate AT&T’s continued support of education initiatives across the state, which help keep our young people on track to graduate.”

With a financial commitment of $400 million to AT&T Aspire since 2008, AT&T is driving innovation in education to help all students make their biggest dreams a reality.

“At AT&T, we’re using the power of our network to build a better tomorrow,” said AT&T Indiana President Bill Soards. “It’s great to be a part of efforts like this that build a viable, creative and adaptive workforce that’s prepared to face the changing needs of employers and customers.

“Education is the best investment we can make to ensure our new hires start day one with the skills they need,” Soards added.

 About Economic Development Corporation of Wayne County

The EDC of Wayne County is a nonprofit organization working to attract new investment to Wayne County, assist existing businesses who wish to expand, and strengthen and develop the current and future workforce. The EDC is funded through a portion of the Economic Development Income Tax. In existence since 1993, the organization is governed by a volunteer board of directors. For more information visit www.whywaynecounty.com.

 About Philanthropy & Social Innovation at AT&T

AT&T is committed to advancing education, strengthening communities and improving lives. Through its community initiatives, AT&T has a long history of investing in projects that create learning opportunities; promote academic and economic achievement; or address community needs. The company’s signature philanthropic initiative, AT&T Aspire, drives innovation in education to promote student success in school and beyond. With a financial commitment of $400 million since 2008, AT&T is leveraging technology, relationships and social innovation to help all students make their biggest dreams a reality.