Goodwill Industries of Kentucky is kicking off the Gateway from Recovery to Work program. The effort is funded by the Appalachian Regional Commission and Goodwill Industries’ INSPIRE grant.
Kyle Callahan, program manager at the Goodwill Opportunity Center in Morehead, said the program will teach people who are recovering from addiction the skills they need to find meaningful employment.
“They will do interview skills, they will build a resume, they will learn basic computer skills if needed,” said Callahan.
These skills are taught during a two-week training course called RISE. During the course, people will also obtain I-9 documents like their birth certificate and social security card.
The Gateway from Recovery to Work program has over 20 community partners, including Maysville Community and Technical College. Participants will have the opportunity to earn a certificate from MCTC.
Callahan added the program will benefit Kentucky’s workforce as a whole.
“It’s a win-win for both the employee and the employer because the employee will come here, get some training, be work-ready and ready to go, and then the employer will have a good applicant pool,” said Callahan.
Callahan said employers who choose to partner with the program will benefit because they will gain work-ready employees who have been trained for the job they applied for. Participants will be referred to the program by recovery centers and medical offices, and local businesses will employ them after training. The program serves Rowan, Menifee, Morgan, Bath, and Montgomery counties.