Deborah Torres Named Work Ready's Job Seeker of the Month

CORNELIA – Governor Sonny Perdue announced today that Deborah Torres of Cornelia has been selected as Georgia Work Ready’s May Job Seeker of the Month, in recognition of her determination to improve her job prospects through Georgia Work Ready.

“Deborah Torres exemplifies the kind of people who make up Georgia’s workforce – driven, focused on creating a better life for herself and her family and an encouragement to others around her who strive for a meaningful career,” said Governor Perdue. “Through our Job Seeker of the Month recognition program, we are sharing success stories of Georgia’s Work Ready Certified workforce to encourage others to take the Work Ready assessment and train for better employment through free skills gap training.”

Having spent most of her adult life working as a machinist in the aerospace industry in Toccoa, Torres was faced with having to find a new job after the company experienced layoffs. Through the Georgia Department of Labor, Deborah learned about Work Ready and saw the numerous Georgia companies that prefer or require a Work Ready Certificate as part of the application process. She took the assessment and earned a bronze certificate. Taking the assessment validated her skills and showed her areas where she could improve or add additional skills.

Over the next six months, Deborah continued her job search armed with her Work Ready Certificate and other job interview and resume resources she found online. She found a temporary assignment as a machine operator with Elring-Klinger in Buford through Axium Staffing and later was able to move into a better position as packing inspector. Though her temporary assignment with Elring-Klinger has ended, Deborah is confident that having a Work Ready Certificate will give her an edge in finding a new employment opportunity. She has also encouraged her son and sister to become Work Ready and follow her footsteps on the pathway to better opportunities.

“Having a Work Ready Certificate has given my family the confidence to strive for a better future,” said Torres. “I have always struggled to stay on my feet and never give up. People should know that Work Ready benefits them – the more knowledge you acquire and the more things you can do to improve yourself, the more success you will have in the long run.”

Each month, www.gaworkready.org will feature a success story of how earning a Work Ready Certificate has improved a job seeker’s confidence and availed them with new employment opportunities. Certificate holders are encouraged to visit the Web site to share their stories about how earning a certificate has encouraged them to seek skills gap training and better job opportunities. Featured Work Ready individuals will receive a $100 pre-paid gift card in recognition of their hard work.

Georgia’s Work Ready initiative is based on a skills assessment, certification and skills gap training for job seekers and a job profiling system for businesses. By identifying both the needs of business and the available skills of Georgia’s workforce, the state can more effectively generate the right talent for the right jobs.

For more information on the Work Ready initiative please visit the Web site at www.gaworkready.org

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