SHELBYVILLE, Ky. — Throughout the pandemic, Kentucky businesses have been hit with employee shortages and supply chain shortages. Advantage Kentucky Alliance said they’ve found the solution to success, specifically in the pandemic's wake. 

Advantage Kentucky Alliance has a mission to help manufacturers and businesses in Kentucky by boosting productivity, growth opportunities and creating additional jobs. The organization visited Shelbyville, where they kicked off their class series.

Ryan Nelson is a manufacturer at Pegasus Industries and Packaging who attended the class for the first time. 

“It’s nerve racking, but very informative,” said Nelson.

Those are emotions Nelson felt while taking a class to better the company he works for. Nelson said he’s seen the effects of the supply chain shortage first hand.

“A lot of our stuff comes from overseas, so what we’d see normally in 12 weeks we’re not seeing for a year. And not being able to not get a lot of product stuff like this allows us to work through issues,” Nelson explained.

The week-long workshop is a part of a goal to work with Kentucky manufacturers to boost productivity, grow opportunities and create and retain jobs. The company’s client service manager Kent Waide, said the organization is most busy with creating solutions to keeping a business afloat during a pandemic.

“I meet with a lot of companies right now that are going as hard as they can, but they’re not making any money while they’re doing it,” said Waide.

Waide has worked with nearly 100 manufacturers like Nelson this year. He said these workshops have contributed to manufacturers gaining $50 million dollars in new investment and saving $17 million dollars, plus retaining or creating 1,400 jobs in the Commonwealth.

What’s most important, Nelson said, is he’s learned to absorb the knowledge and continue to prioritize his company.

“We have to be really flexible to our customers’ needs. If they have an issue that comes up, we’re the ones they come to to fix the issue,” said Nelson.

Regardless of what manufacturers face during economic woes, Nelson added it’s important to keep being mindful of company goals. Kentucky’s latest economic report found workers are slowly returning to the labor force, but they are not returning quickly enough to fill the job openings available.

Kentucky has also recovered or replaced 76% of the jobs lost during the pandemic. The next workshop for Advantage Kentucky Alliance will be July 12 in Corbin. You can click here to register.