New Report Highlights Huge Impact of Bluegrass Community and Technical College on Lexington and Local Business Community | BCTC
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New Report Highlights Huge Impact of Bluegrass Community and Technical College on Lexington and Local Business Community

Published on Sep 23, 2022

First-ever report released in connection with National Workforce Development Month 

LEXINGTON, KY. – Bluegrass Community and Technical College Workforce Solutions partnered with local companies to invest $486,026 in TRAINS funding for job training initiatives in Fiscal Year (FY) 2022, leading to a new report on enrollment and workforce development. The Kentucky Community & Technical College System (KCTCS) released its inaugural Workforce and Economic Development Annual Report today – in connection with National Workforce Development Month – the first comprehensive synopsis of activities among KCTCS Workforce Solutions departments. 

According to the report, Bluegrass Community and Technical College Workforce Solutions served 146 businesses last year. Those companies invested another $277,586 to develop employees with skills that meet the needs of a 21st-century workforce. 

At Bluegrass Community and Technical College, those initiatives included: 

  • BCTC, in partnership with Commerce Lexington and the Lexington Healthcare Collaborative, developed a State Registered Nurse Aide (SRNA) training program to train individuals wishing to pivot to the healthcare industry. This position provides an entry point into healthcare and offers upward mobility for individuals embarking on a new career pathway. BCTC is proud to provide leadership support to this collaboration of employers working together to expand the healthcare talent pipelines. 
  • BCTC worked with over a dozen companies this past year to upskill maintenance technicians across their 14-county service region. Companies in Danville, Harrodsburg, Georgetown, Lawrenceburg, Lexington and Winchester have benefitted from upskilling their existing employees in the latest technologies impacting advanced manufacturing.  
  • BCTC launched an English Language Learner (ELL) training program to assist 48 non-native English-speaking employees at Galls, Incorporated to improve workplace communication and confidence. Through this partnership with Galls, BCTC is experiencing a significant increase in demand to provide ELL training to employees at many companies in the BCTC service region.  

“At Bluegrass Community and Technical College, led by our incredible Workforce Solutions staff and faculty, we’re committed to partnering with local companies to ensure they have a skilled and sustainable talent pipeline to not just survive but thrive in an ever-changing work environment,” said Dr. Koffi Akakpo. “With labor shortages at historic levels, we know this work has never been more important – so I want to commend Bluegrass Community and Technical College administrators, educators, and instructors for their hard work and dedication to meeting this unprecedented need.” 

In addition to Bluegrass Community and Technical College’s many successes, the report showcased that systemwide, KCTCS Workforce Solutions completed its highest performing year ever in the Commonwealth. More than $7.1 million was allocated for customizable employee training activities in FY 2022, up from $3.9 million the year prior. Moreover, the report found that the number of TRAINS projects led by KCTCS Workforce Solutions ballooned from 117 to 240 in the last fiscal year, new Workforce Solutions clients grew by 147 percent during that same period, and enrollment jumped by 41 percent (up to 19,111). 

Manufacturing was the top sector receiving services and funding under TRAINS overall, with $4,141,603 invested in 118 companies, and a total of 142 companies served through customized solutions. Other leading sectors included healthcare, logistics, and business services. 

Of note, TRAINS offsets the cost of customized training for incumbent worker upskilling, pre-employment training, assessments and apprenticeship programs. KCTCS has expanded financial assistance now offsetting 75 percent (up from 50 percent) of a business’s costs associated with developing tailored talent pipeline initiatives.  

With funding established by the Kentucky General Assembly, KCTCS is proud to deliver TRAINS-backed projects to help businesses across the Commonwealth equip their current and potential employees with the tools and on-the-job experience to succeed at work and beyond. 

The full KCTCS Workforce and Economic Development Annual Report can be found here.