Wolverine Coil Spring Company given ACT Employer of Excellence Award in Washington, D.C. ceremony

WASHINGTON – To recognize its contributions to worker training and career readiness, the 2009 ACT Employer of Excellence Award was presented today to Grand Rapids-based Wolverine Coil Spring Company in a ceremony in Washington.

“I am very pleased that Wolverine Coil Spring Company is receiving this recognition, because the work they are doing in West Michigan is critical to our region’s economic success,” said Congressman Ehlers. “Our area has been hit especially hard during this recession, and one of the main keys in getting people back to work is preparing them for high-skilled, high-tech jobs. Wolverine has been very successful in this, and I congratulate them on receiving this award.”

            Wolverine Coil Spring now requires all temporary workers to earn ACT’s National Career Readiness Certificate before being hired. Research shows a high correlation between the worker’s test scores and their successful performance on the job.

            To enhance math and science proficiency nationwide, Congressman Ehlers today introduced the Improving Math and Science Teacher Quality Act (H.R. 3950), a bill to strengthen teacher professional development. The program improves student performance in math and science by providing funding for training programs for teachers. It is seen as a critical program for our nation’s competitiveness, because high school students in the United States are falling behind their peers in other countries in math and science skills.