Governor Mike Parson traveled to Versailles yesterday to announce that Morgan County is now the 87th county in Missouri to become a certified work-ready community. Parson said the designation will help the community help businesses to grow and will attract new business.

Work-ready communities help align workforce and education to meet the economic needs of the area.

This designation means Morgan County joins other Work Ready Communities in being able to advertise they have a workforce ready to be employed by existing or new employers in the County. The designation is available when a certain number of potential employees have taken a test and earned a National Career Readiness Certificate, and a certain number of employers have agreed to participate in the program. The number required depends on the population of the county.

Parson said he hopes to have all 114 counties in the state become work certified before he leaves office.

Laclede County received the work-ready designation in late March of this year.