Any suggestions why this couls be happening?

Thanks!!!

<script>
	function updateStatus(selectedCode){  
	alert(" Testing 1 >>>>    "+selectedCode);   
	updateStatusActionFunction(selectedCode);
	alert("Testing 2 >>    "+selectedCode); 
	}
</script>

// Doesn't set the selectedCode as seen in the alert above
// as a result the class in the controller doesn't get invoked.. it doesn't even male it to the class.
<apex:actionFunction name="updateStatusActionFunction" action="{!showStdReqs}" rerender="stdrs,cdTrck">	<apex:param name="jobSelected" assignTo="{!jobSelected}" value="selectedCode"/>               
</apex:actionFunction>


<apex:pageblockSection columns="2" title="CT" id="cdTrck">
	<apex:pageBlockSectionItem >
		<apex:outputLabel value="Job Code" for="jc"/>
		<apex:outputPanel layout="block" styleClass="requiredInput">
		<apex:outputPanel layout="block" styleClass="requiredBlock"></apex:outputPanel>
		<apex:inputField value="{!ctEmpl.Job_Code__c}" id="jc" onchange="updateStatus(this.value)"/>
		</apex:outputPanel>
	</apex:pageBlockSectionItem>  
...
</apex:pageblockSection> 
</apex:pageBlock>

<apex:pageBlock title="New Requirements" >
	<apex:pageBlockTable value="{!stdReqs}" var="s" id="stdrs" width="100%" columns="2" columnsWidth="100px, 100px">
		<apex:column headerValue="Requirement" value="{!s.Requirement__c}"/>
		<apex:column headerValue="Category" value="{!s.CT_Category__c}"/>
	</apex:pageBlockTable>
</apex:pageBlock><br/>


// CONTROLLER 

public String jobSelected { get; set; }

 public Pagereference showStdReqs(){  

}

}