Kentucky Emphasizes Workforce Development
Recognizing that a company’s workforce is its #1 priority, Kentucky is taking steps to ensure that workers in the Commonwealth are equipped with superior training and skills needed to compete in the global economy. Kentucky has aligned resources to ensure companies and individuals receive the assistance they need to be successful.
Download the brochure below:
Download Brochure
Here are examples of the progress we are making:
Increased funding through the Bluegrass State Skills Corporation (BSSC)
Providing employers with more training funds to develop new and existing employees. Currently, more than 200 employers have grants and tax credits worth over $12.6 million that are training nearly 43,000 employees.
Visit Website
Improving Training Facilities
New and improved training facilities are coming
online statewide, thanks to more than $200
million in additional funding. Nearly 30,000
additional workers will receive training each year.
Visit Website
Empowering Apprentices
Empowering apprentices through a registered
apprenticeship model, combining on-the-job
learning with related technical instruction.
Apprentices are currently being trained in more
than 100 occupations.
Visit Website
Encouraging Manufacturing Careers
Increasing manufacturing careers through an
innovative work/study program called KY FAME.
Students split their week between college
courses and on-the-job training in a high-tech
manufacturing operation. After 18 months,
students receive an advanced manufacturing
technician (AMT) certification and can begin
work or continue college.
Visit Website
Offering Dual Credit Scholarships
Providing tuition for high school juniors
and seniors to take courses that earn high
school and college credit simultaneously. In
three years, the rate of enrollment for dual
credit courses has increased 92 percent and
the successful completion rate stands at 95
percent.
Visit Website
Providing Second Chances
Supporting job placement assistance to nonviolent
offenders after they have completed
their sentence to allow them to re-enter
the workforce, thus lowering the state’s rate
of recidivism and saving taxpayer money.
Assistance includes housing, transportation
and substance abuse treatment. In addition,
certain low-level felons can expunge their
records once they have completed their
sentences.
Equipping Offenders with Trade Skills
Offering apprenticeship programs for adult
and juvenile offenders while incarcerated to
give them nationally recognized journeyman
credentials in skilled trades upon their release.
Empowering Our People
Empowering residents to re-enter the workforce by providing training, re-employment services, job placement and employer recruitment activities at one of 12 career center hubs. More than 130,000 individuals have received career coaching and job placement services so far this year. (Kentucky Career Centers)
Visit Website
Increasing the Workforce
Increasing the workforce by nearly 125,000 by working with the federal government to require able-bodied Medicaid beneficiaries to participate in community engagement activities. These include education, job training, employment, caregiving or volunteering activities for at least 20 hours a week.
Visit Website
Preparing Communities
Certifying communities that document their achievement on graduation rates, community commitment, educational attainment, career readiness, registered apprenticeship and internet availability. Nearly 75 percent of all Kentucky counties are certified Work Ready or Work Ready in Progress.
Visit Website
Kentucky Skills Network
A collaboration among Kentucky organizations to provide workforce solutions to businesses, the Kentucky Skills Network offers assistance with employee recruitment, customized training solutions, training incentives and skills development.
Visit Website
Workforce Resources
The Cabinet partners with workforce organizations and institutions across the Commonwealth.
Visit Website