Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program, Inc. (EKCEP) has announced strong results for Program Year 2023, highlighted by an independent Lightcast study and new U.S. Department of Labor data, showing how every workforce dollar invested in Eastern Kentucky generates powerful returns.
According to a recent analysis from Lightcast, a leading labor market analytics company, participants in EKCEP programs experienced $61.7 million in increased earnings in PY 2023 (July 1, 2023–June 30, 2024).
Those higher wages are projected to generate an additional $91.9 million in future state tax revenues, underscoring the long-term value of workforce investment. The analysis was conducted independently by Lightcast. EKCEP provided program data and commissioned the study but had no role in conducting or shaping the findings.
“These results show what’s possible when we invest in people,” said EKCEP Executive Director Becky Carnes Miller. “For every dollar put into our programs, we’re not just helping someone find a job, we’re creating sustained economic growth that benefits families, employers, and entire communities here in Eastern Kentucky.”
Additionally, out of more than 550 workforce development boards nationwide, EKCEP’s Adult Services program ranked 21st in the country for participants served in 2023, according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Performance Dashboard at www.dol.gov. Among the top 21, EKCEP further distinguished itself by ranking in the top 5 for clients’ employment retention, proving that its services deliver not just job placements but long-term employment outcomes.
EKCEP also consistently exceeded national performance averages. This includes a 98.6% adult and 97.7% youth measurable skill gain (MSG) rate, placing Eastern Kentucky among the top-performing workforce regions in the country.
“Being ranked among the best in the nation is an incredible recognition for a rural workforce board,” Carnes-Miller said. “It shows that our approach works, and that Eastern Kentucky is setting a standard of excellence nationwide.”
Additional findings from the Lightcast study noted that EKCEP’s programs generate exceptional returns:
• $3.18 return to Kentucky taxpayers for every $1 invested in WIOA programs.
• $8.63 return per $1 invested in Recovery & Re-entry programs.
• $6.39 return in the Youth Program, proving young people with barriers succeed with EKCEP’s support.
• Participants experience an average annual wage increase of nearly $10,000—equivalent to about $4.74 more per hour.
With a cost-benefit ratio of $8.63, EKCEP’s Recovery & Re-entry division, which served more than 4,200 participants, is well positioned to ensure that Kentuckians in recovery from addiction have the resources they need to connect with meaningful opportunities in the workforce.
Since its founding in 1968, EKCEP has served as Eastern Kentucky’s dedicated workforce board, helping generations of Kentuckians prepare for and succeed in the job market.
“EKCEP has been the workforce board for Eastern Kentucky for more than five decades, and we remain the region’s lead workforce provider today,” Carnes-Miller said. “Our experience, partnerships, and proven results show that we are the experts in connecting people to opportunity and helping employers build the skilled workforce they need to thrive.”
Carnes-Miller also emphasized the vital role of EKCEP’s nine Community Action agency partners, which deliver direct services through Kentucky Career Centers across the 23-county region.
“Our contractors are the front line of this success,” she added. “They make sure job seekers and employers in every county have access to life-changing opportunities.”
For more information on EKCEP’s impact, visit www.ekcep.org, and explore national workforce performance metrics on the U.S. Department of Labor’s Performance Dashboard at www.dol.gov. EKCEP, a nonprofit workforce development agency headquartered in Hazard, Ky., serves the citizens of 23 Appalachian coalfield counties. EKCEP is funded by the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, along with various federal and state grants and private donations.