The future is here
A recent report on workforce resignations shows Kentucky ranks in the top 10. This is not a top 10 designation we want.
The report from Wallet Hub showed Kentucky ranked 8th nationally for resignations between December 2021 and December 2022. In addition to COVID burnout, some experts believe the reasons behind this are low pay, little room for advancement and feeling disrespected.
For years, experts have predicted that the jobs of the future would require additional training after high school. Well, the future is here. Those who want to earn higher salaries and advance their careers should look no further than their local community college.
But adults aren’t the only ones missing out on higher ed opportunities. You might be surprised to know that only 55% of Kentucky’s 2021 high school graduates completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). That means more than $54 million dollars in Pell Grant aid was left on the table. Nationally, $3.6 billion was unclaimed in 2022 This is aid that does not have to be paid back.
Completing the FAFSA lets families know what aid they qualify for and it’s a first step to obtaining other scholarships and grants. For instance, to receive the Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship, students must complete a FAFSA. The Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship covers free tuition for up to 60 hours for numerous programs. But it’s not available unless a student files a FAFSA to determine aid eligibility.
A new bill to make FAFSA filing mandatory for high school seniors has been filed in the Kentucky General Assembly. Several other states that have this law are seeing increased college-going rates. We support the bill and hope to see it pass this session. Moving our state forward requires a skilled workforce and more Kentuckians with college credentials is how we’ll get there.
Kentucky has some of the largest economic development projects in its history right now and we must have a skilled workforce to staff these new businesses. KCTCS is doing its part to train as many workers as we can get for these new jobs.
We also have the most partnerships with businesses across the Commonwealth that we’ve ever worked with to train new and incumbent workers. Businesses come to us for help with customized training at their location or at our colleges. Because of TRAINS funds we receive from the legislature each year, businesses pay only 25% of the cost of this training. For the first time ever, we will run out of TRAINS funds because of the surge in demand for training.
Additionally, we’re rolling out a new program called Education First Employers, which is a group of preferred business partners who work with our colleges to invest in education and workforce development. The program benefits employers as well as students.
To be a top 10 state in education and workforce, we must all work together to emphasize the importance of higher education. There’s no reason why Kentucky can’t be at the top of a positive list when it comes to our workforce. We have the ability to make it happen, so let’s do this!
