Phillips Staffing Completes WorkKeys Profiles for Itron, Inc.; Profiles Set Standard for Job Skills Requirements

GREENVILLE, SC – August 10,. 2011 – Phillips Staffing recently completed WorkKeys Profiles, a job skills assessment tool that measures real-world skills, for all hourly positions at Itron, Inc. in West Union, SC. WorkKeys is a well-established and recognized international assessment system. With the ever-changing technology at Itron, the company knew they needed positions profiled in order for existing and future employees’ skills to meet their workplace needs.

Phillips’ Workforce Readiness Director, Beverly Deal, profiled most of the hourly positions at the West Union facility. The profiles determine the reading, math, locating information and observation skills needed to be successful on the job. When job openings are posted, employees must have the required skills for the position profile to apply. Employees will have the option to receive additional training in order to apply for positions. “Researching and documenting information on all hourly positions is vital for Itron when planning staff development needs,” said Deal.

“Itron believes WorkKeys is a valuable tool not only for our employees, but also in workforce development and employment,” said Itron’s Human Resources Manager, Sue Gray. “Hourly positions are among the hardest to hire. We know their work history and that they have manufacturing experience, but we needed to know whether they have the skill sets to perform the jobs at our plant. The WorkKeys program has now given us that knowledge. The Phillips Staffing employees working onsite are aware that we require WorkKey’s certificates as part of the hiring process and have chosen to show their skills by taking the assessments.”

Ed Parris, President of Phillips Staffing said, “Phillips Staffing is committed to supplying our clients with highly qualified candidates and we recognize that WorkKeys is a valuable screening tool.”

Phillips Staffing, a division of S.B. Phillips Company, Inc., is a 43 year-old full-service, Greenville-based employment company with 12 offices in the Southeast.

Itron is dedicated to delivering end-to-end smart grid and smart distribution solutions to electric, gas and water utilities around the globe. Our company is the world’s leading provider of smart metering, data collection and utility software systems, with nearly 8,000 utilities worldwide relying on our technology to optimize the delivery and use of energy and water. Our offerings include electricity, gas, water and heat meters; network communication technology; collection systems and related software applications; and professional services.