Jasper County is the first area in the nation to be declared a Work Ready community.
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon was in Joplin on Friday to announce this declaration. The government already offers a National Career Readiness Assessment.
State officials say several workers in Jasper County have met this assessment.
Governor Nixon says being a work ready community will give a widespread message.
"The competition we are in, is just to get dollars invested here, it's not just to get jobs created, but is to make sure that everyone in our state and quite frankly our country is ready to compete with anyone in the world," says Governor Nixon.
The assessments are done through the Missouri Career Center Workforce System.
There is no cost to take the NCRA. All costs are pre-paid through workforce grants.