KCTCS expands funding for business and industry support via TRAINS

VERSAILLES, KY – The Kentucky Community & Technical College System (KCTCS) announced today that their TRAINS program has increased its funding support for qualifying companies. 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.

“KCTCS knows firsthand the transformative effect customized training has on companies of every size, their employees and families, as well as on our entire economy,” Dr Paul Czarapata, KCTCS President, said.

“At a time when businesses, employees and our students are facing rising costs, TRAINS will lower the cost of empowering, retaining and recruiting top talent – and, in the process, open doors to greater opportunities for Kentucky workers and businesses alike. Talk about a win-win.”

The new TRAINS’ 75/25 match could not come at a more critical time. The state is expected to gain 150,000 jobs by 2030 according to KCTCS’s first-of-its-kind Kentucky Education to Workforce (GIS) application. The latest projections indicate jobs in the industries of healthcare and social assistance; professional, scientific, and technical services; transportation and warehousing; construction; and manufacturing will increase by 2030, putting extra pressure on existing businesses to enhance employee satisfaction, productivity and output. TRAINS will help meet these growing needs by providing employees with the much-needed skills and technical know-how to excel.

By partnering with KCTCS and accessing TRAINS, companies will mitigate skills gaps, increase retention and improve their bottom line.

Since its inception in 2014, TRAINS has invested $29,893,835 in Kentucky business accounting for 72,965 enrollments. As a result of TRAINS, Kentucky companies have invested $16,974,397 in upskilling their employees. KCTCS Workforce Solutions staff has worked directly with thousands of companies to design training programs that are tailored to meet each business’s specific needs in an economic, efficient and time-sensitive manner. For more information on TRAINS, please visit https://kctcs.edu/workforce-solutions/

The Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) is the Commonwealth’s largest postsecondary institution with 16 colleges and more than 70 campuses. We also are Kentucky’s largest provider of workforce training, dual credit classes and online education. Through partnerships with business and industry, we align our programs to meet the needs of local employers. Our colleges are united in their commitment to making life better for our students, communities and the citizens of Kentucky. To date, KCTCS has served more than one million Kentuckians.

 Featured image: KCTCS.