The Work Ready Skills Advisory Committee, formed to review and select proposals for the Commonwealth’s new $100 million workforce bond program, has identified 21 projects for continued consideration for second-round funding. The committee plans to award about $34 million in the second round.
The 10-member committee met today to review 41 applications that requested a total of more than $165 million. The projects include construction and renovation of facilities and the purchase of new equipment aimed at providing workforce training and education in Kentucky’s top five growth sectors of advanced manufacturing, transportation and logistics, business services and information technology, healthcare, and construction trades.
The committee is scheduled to reconvene in May to interview the 21 applicants that have requested nearly $77 million for projects.
“We continue to see strong applications from across Kentucky in the second round as communities strive to improve their workforce,” said Education and Workforce Development Cabinet Secretary Hal Heiner, who chairs the committee. “The Work Ready Skills Initiative has created a lot of excitement among employers, educators, community leaders and elected officials that want their communities to be leaders in the high-demand technology jobs of the future.”
Launched in July 2016, the Work Ready Skills Initiative is aimed at developing a highly trained, modernized workforce to meet the needs of employers and promote sustainable incomes for Kentuckians. On Jan. 31, the committee awarded about $65.5 million to 25 projects in the first round of funding.
The following projects from across Kentucky are still under consideration for the second round of funding:
Adair County Board of Education
Big Sandy Community & Technical College
Breckinridge County Area Technology Center
Christian County Public Schools
Estill County Board of Education
Frankfort Independent Schools
Freestore Foodbank
Garrard County Schools
Gateway Community & Technical College
Green River/Hart County & Caverna Schools
Home Builders Association of Northern Kentucky
Johnson County Schools (GREATT)
Kenton County Schools
Logan County Schools
Mason County Schools
McCracken County Public Schools
Ohio County Work Ready Committee
Russell County Board of Education
Taylor County School District
University of the Cumberlands
Washington County Schools
For more information about the Kentucky Work Ready Skills Initiative, please visit: http://www.KentuckyWorkReady.com
(story provided by Kentucky Education Cabinet)
