Kentucky.gov

ARRA dollars to help laid-off workers and low-income adults

FRANKFORT, Ky. – Gov. Steve Beshear today announced that over $18 million in stimulus funds will be distributed to the Commonwealth’s 10 local workforce investment boards. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) is providing a one-time appropriation to Kentucky of $11.2 million for dislocated workers and $6.9 million for low-income adults to pay for training opportunities and employment services.

The Recovery Act authorized the additional funding through the Workforce Investment Act (WIA). The goal is to substantially increase the number of adults who have the skills to fill jobs that are in demand in the Commonwealth.

“Kentucky must be prepared to provide new and emerging companies and industries with the most skilled and educated workers,” said Gov. Beshear. “These funds will support those facing extraordinary challenges by assisting them in upgrading or retooling their skills to enable them to return to the workforce,”

The funds present Kentucky’s unemployed and under-skilled adult population with a unique opportunity to receive training scholarships and acquire new skills to get them back to work now or prepare them for new jobs yet to come.

The training and employment services are made available through Kentucky’s One-Stop Career Centers. These centers target services to meet the changing needs of workers and employers. Assistance is provided to find the resources and training required to enable future economic growth and advance the prosperity of the citizens of the Commonwealth.

Services focus on the most efficient and effective ways to assist workers impacted by the current economy. Priority will be given to recipients of public assistance and other low-income individuals. Strategies have been developed to assist adults in adapting their skills and career goals to the rapidly changing economy and employment options.

One-Stop Career Center services include: career and skills assessments, resume writing and interview preparation workshops, adult education, job training, postsecondary education scholarships, academic certifications and licenses, registered apprenticeships, and career advancement and supportive services activities.

Trained staff at the One-Stop Career Centers can assist Kentucky employers with locating qualified job applicants, screen and test job seekers to match the employers’ needs, provide funding for eligible on-the-job training and customized training needs and, in some areas, provide space for job interviews and schedule interviews via video conferencing.

Services are also available to employers anticipating layoffs or closure. The Dislocated Worker Rapid Response teams provide information to the employees during layoffs about retraining, job opportunities, filing for unemployment insurance benefits, and other local, state and federal services.

To locate the nearest One-Stop Career Center, you may view the online listing at http://www.oet.ky.gov/des/wis/wfservices.htm. For general information on programs and services, please call 502-564-7456.

The U.S. Department of Labor funds the WIA programs that are administered by the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet’s Office of Employment and Training and are awarded to local workforce investment areas. The amount of each local grant is as follows:

Kentucky stimulus funding can be tracked at www.kentuckyatwork.ky.gov.

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