Kentucky Selected by National Governors Association for Skills-Based Jobs Project

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Kentucky is one of 11 states selected to participate in the first phase of the skills-based state community of practice to develop apprenticeship and employment case projects to support economic growth.

The National Governor’s Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) initiated the project and selected the participants.

“We are excited about the opportunity to be a national leader in developing projects that can help prepare our workforce for the demands and opportunities of the future,” Governor Andy Beshear said. “The workforce and the workplace are changing rapidly and we want to be at the forefront of states developing innovative practices to connect skills-based training and employment practices.”

Kentucky had a record year of economic development in 2021, and 2022 continues that momentum. In 2021, private sector, new location and expansion announcements included a record total planned investment of $11.2 billion and commitments to create a record number of more than 18,000 full-time jobs over the years. coming.

The NGA Center describes learning and employment records as digital resumes that can help job seekers maintain and share a secure, verifiable, and easily accessible record of their skills, educational experiences, and background. professionals. It can also help employers uncover hidden talent that better matches their workforce needs. Kentucky’s participation is expected to have a positive impact on those involved in the Everybody Counts initiative.

Governor Beshear’s Everybody Counts initiative was launched last year as a pilot program involving Jefferson County Public Schools with plans to expand statewide. The goal of Everybody Counts is to provide every high school graduate in Jefferson County public schools with the opportunity to obtain one of three pathways: employment with one of four participating companies (Kroger, GE Appliances, Ford and UPS), two years of free post-secondary school tuition or both. Governor Beshear is committing $5 million each in 2023 and 2024 to expand the program.

“An important part of our economic development is having workers with the right skills for businesses growing or locating in Kentucky. With Learning and Employment Records, job seekers can showcase, record and share their skills and achievements with employers, who can use this great tool to recruit the best person for their job vacancies,” said Jamie Link, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Labour.

The NGA Center, in partnership with Jobs for the Future (JFF), launched the State Competency-Based Community of Practice to help state officials learn more about OER and take action to prepare their systems and policies to develop these projects. During a community of practice, the NGA Center convenes multiple states for in-depth policy exploration to develop strategic action plans to address challenges using the latest research and promising practices.

“We are engaged with a group of states that are at various stages of readiness to execute this work with the intent of advancing selected states in their efforts to build and strengthen state/regional LER systems,” according to the NGA Center. .

For more information, visit the state’s competency-based Community of Practice – National Governors Association.

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