FRANKFORT, Ky. — Kentucky businesses have committed nearly $2 million to boost workforce training efforts for over 8,000 employees, Gov. Andy Beshear announced Thursday.

The approval of $1.88 million in funds and credits will go toward training efforts for 8,432 Kentucky-resident employees. It was all approved during a recent Bluegrass State Skills Corporation meeting, Beshear said in a news release.

“As we continue to build on the economic momentum that is positioning the commonwealth for a better future, we must be vigilant to ensure we have a pipeline for talent to fill these jobs of tomorrow,” Beshear said. “Programs like the Bluegrass State Skills Corporation are ensuring we have individuals with the necessary skills to meet the needs of these growing companies."

With the latest funds approved, the state's support of workforce training totals $3.8 million for 60 applicants across the state in fiscal year 2023.

Approvals during the BSSC meeting support workforce training in communities across the state, including:

• Over 3,500 trainees at The Training Consortium of South Central Kentucky in Bowling Green, 
• 975 trainees across two programs at North American Stainless in Ghent, 
• Over 900 trainees at Bluegrass Training Consortium locations in Berea and Georgetown, 
• Over 660 trainees at SourceCorp BPS in London and
• Over 500 trainees at both the Kentucky Alliance Training Consortium in Georgetown and Bowling Green Metalforming.

Beshear previously announced that the BSSC provided over $8.4 million in funds and credits during fiscal year 2022. Those funds assisted with workforce training for more than 35,400 Kentucky employees – the most since fiscal year 2016.

BSSC incentives are available to a range of operations, including manufacturing, agribusiness, state-licensed hospital operations, coal severing and processing, alternative fuel, renewable energy production and carbon dioxide transmission pipelines.