Workforce funding provides support for trainees across commonwealth
Gov. Andy Beshear highlighted progress in the commonwealth’s mission to maintain, develop and retain its world-class workforce and further bolster Kentucky’s surging economy.
Over 4,200 Kentuckians will receive skills training thanks to $2.1 million in support provided through the Bluegrass State Skills Corp. (BSSC), which oversees programs attached to the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development that help private-sector businesses establish industry-specific training initiatives. In fiscal year 2024, the BSSC board of directors approved roughly $19 million in funds and credits for 104 Kentucky facilities to train 42,600-plus workers, the most since 2016.
“The commonwealth is home to an incredibly hardworking and talented workforce, and it is our job to equip them with the skills necessary to do the jobs we’re bringing to our New Kentucky Home,” said Gov. Beshear. “The Bluegrass State Skills Corp. is crucial to our workforce training and development and helps our businesses continue to build on Kentucky’s record-breaking economic momentum.”
This month’s approvals included workforce training support for 920 employees at the Bluegrass Business Consortium in Berea and an additional 461 workers at Perfetti Van Melle USA in Erlanger. A full list of the new approvals is available here.
Today’s approvals build on momentum for fiscal year 2025, as the BSSC board approved more than $1.7 million in training funds and credits for over 4,000 trainees across 26 Kentucky facilities during a meeting in August and supported funding for 8,775 Kentuckians at the November meeting.
Gov. Beshear previously announced over $10 million for 115 applicants throughout the state to train nearly 35,000 workers for fiscal year 2023. The state also 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.
Employers across the state benefit from BSSC’s Grant-in-Aid (GIA) and Skills Training Investment Credit (STIC) programs. GIA provides cash reimbursements for occupational and skills upgrade training at Kentucky businesses, while STIC offers state income tax credits for companies to offset the costs for approved training programs. Applications for both programs are accepted and considered for approval by the Bluegrass State Skills Corp. Board of Directors.
Operations that could qualify for BSSC incentives include manufacturing, agribusiness, nonretail service or technology, headquarters operations, state-licensed hospital operations, coal severing and processing, alternative fuel, gasification, renewable energy production or carbon dioxide transmission pipelines.
For more information on the Bluegrass State Skills Corp. or to apply for workforce training assistance, visit ced.ky.gov/BSSC.
Kentucky’s investment in workforce development builds on the best five-year period for economic growth in state history.
Since the beginning of his administration, Gov. Beshear has announced more than 1,100 private-sector new-location and expansion projects totaling over $35 billion in announced investments, creating more than 60,000 jobs. This is the highest investment figure secured during the tenure of any governor in the commonwealth’s history and $14 billion more than the next highest total.
The robust job creation has been accompanied by rising wages across the commonwealth. Since 2022, the average incentivized hourly wage has topped $26 in three consecutive years for the first time.
Gov. Beshear has announced some of the largest economic development projects in state history, which have solidified Kentucky as the electric vehicle battery production capital of the United States: Ford Motor Co. and SK On’s transformative $5.8 billion, 5,000-job BlueOval SK Battery Park in Hardin County; AESC’s $2 billion, 2,000-job gigafactory project in Warren County; Toyota’s $1.3 billion investment in Scott County; and Shelbyville Battery Manufacturing’s $712 million investment, creating 1,572 jobs in Shelby County.
The Governor’s administration also secured the largest General Fund budget surplus and Rainy Day Fund. In 2023, Kentucky recorded over 2 million jobs filled for the first time ever and has stayed above that number ever since.
Kentucky also secured rating increases from major credit rating agencies Fitch Ratings, S&P Global Ratings and Moody’s Investors Service.
Last March, Site Selection magazine ranked Kentucky third nationally and first in the South Central region for economic development projects per capita in its 2023 Governor’s Cup rankings. In April, Site Selection placed Kentucky second in the South Central region and in the top 10 nationally in its 2024 Prosperity Cup ranking, which recognizes state-level economic development agencies for their success in landing capital investment projects.
Gov. Beshear announced a Supply Kentucky initiative with the goal of boosting job growth, reducing costs and providing more security in the supply chains of our Kentucky companies. And last month, the Governor announced a new initiative, called New Kentucky Home, to increase economic investment, attain and attract talent, and increase tourism across the state.
Information on Kentucky’s economic development efforts and programs is available at CED.ky.gov. Fans of the Cabinet for Economic Development can also join the discussion at facebook.com/CEDkygov, on Twitter @CEDkygov, Instagram @CEDkygov and LinkedIn.
