Building a WorkKeys and KeyTrain Community

Lynell Amundson, a Program Manager for Business and Industry at Lower Columbia College in Longview, Washington recounts this recent experience: A student wanted to be able to provide for her family and knew the type of job and wage needed to do so.  She was interested in a position at a local manufacturer but had no manufacturing experience. Using KeyTrain to prepare for WorkKeys, she scored a 5 in Applied Technology which resulted in her being hired.  Such success stories have helped Amundson build a WorkKeys and KeyTrain community over several years.  Real results get the attention of everyone in the community.

Amundson began using WorkKeys several years ago as new employers in the community were seeking an efficient way to hire a workforce.  As Amundson began to work with employers she recognized the need for curriculum to increase skills of job seekers.  After reviewing training products, Amundson and her team moved forward with implementing KeyTrain.

KeyTrain was available to job seekers on the Lower Columbia College Campus in an open lab environment.  Job seekers were consistently seeing results with the use of KeyTrain which encouraged Amundson to expand the use of WorkKeys and KeyTrain.

WorkKeys and KeyTrain were then introduced to the local school district which resulted in implementation in three high schools.  KeyTrain was used in Career and Technical education courses as well as junior and senior courses.  Students were recognized for their success at a ceremony where they received a Workplace Skills Certificate.  The Workplace Skills Certificate was a locally awarded certificate prior to the introduction of the National Career Readiness Certificate.

WorkKeys and KeyTrain continued to grow under Amundson’s leadership when the college received a state funded grant to serve TANF clients as part of the Smart Moves initiative.  The grant served 250 clients over a six month period.  The participants who completed the program were awarded the Workplace Skills certificate in recognition of their skills.  Amundson stated that participants who received the gold certificate received an average of one dollar more per hour than other program participants.

The Transitions Course, a 3-5 credit course, at Lower Columbia College has now incorporated WorkKeys and KeyTrain.  This course is designed for individuals preparing for the workforce and includes resume writing and interviewing skills.  Comments from students in the Transitions Course consistently reflect their gratitude of being able to use KeyTrain in upgrading their skills. 

Amundson stressed that building a WorkKeys and KeyTrain community takes time.  Communicating with various agencies, schools and businesses is key to building a successful WorkKeys and KeyTrain program.

For additional information contact:  Lynell Amundson at lamundson@lowercolumbia.edu