Junior Achievement (JA) of Central Iowa is offering a new JA Career-Ready Credential that aims to help high school students and young adults gain workforce skills and connect with local businesses.

Participants earn the JA Career-Ready Credential by completing six micro-credentials in creativity, critical thinking, cultural agility, collaboration, communication and self-direction.

Several companies have endorsed the credential, including Holmes Murphy, EMC Insurance Cos., John Deere Financial and UnityPoint Health.

Ten metro-area students participated in the pilot phase this spring, according to a news release. Five earned the credential, and five others are working toward completion.

The news release said the Career-Ready Credential will soon be available to more high school students ages 16 and older and young adults who are interested in opportunities at partnering companies.

Katelyn Priestley, who will be a senior this fall at Adel-DeSoto-Minburn High School, earned the credential and was selected for Holmes Murphy’s DiscoverYou high school program this summer.

“Holmes Murphy has a rich tradition of investing in and supporting young talent, and we are very much looking forward to working with Junior Achievement and students through their Career-Ready Credential to support the talent pipeline in our organization and across our industry,” said Stephani Manning, President of ICS, a Holmes Murphy PLUS company, in a prepared statement.