EKCEP Hosts Kick-Off and Training for Prosper Appalachia Program for High School Seniors

Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program, Inc. (EKCEP) hosted a kick-off training session in Hazard July 15-17 for its newly expanded Prosper Appalachia program. This event marked a significant milestone in EKCEP's ongoing efforts to empower high school students in Eastern Kentucky with the skills and resources needed to succeed in the modern workforce and access opportunities to enter careers close to home. 

The training prepared new career development specialists, who will be employed by EKCEP's nine Community Action agency partners throughout the region, to provide direct services for students. These services include helping students develop career plans and enter paid internships and work experience programs. 

The focus of EKCEP's new in-school youth services will be to help demonstrate to students that they will not have to leave Eastern Kentucky to find rewarding and self-sustaining careers. EKCEP Deputy Director Bridget Back noted that while jobs and opportunities exist within the region, people newly entering the workforce need to know how to connect with them. 

"When we did a summer work program a couple of years ago, only 30 percent of the kids that participated in that program felt like they could stay in Eastern Kentucky and work and raise a family," Back said. "How do you work with a student and help them decide what they're going to do forever? It's not an easy task, and that's where the Prosper Appalachia program comes in." 

Prosper Appalachia is EKCEP's workforce development program for eligible Kentuckians between the ages of 16-24. This latest expansion of services, funded by a $7.6 million grant from the Kentucky legislature, is designed to provide comprehensive career services to high school students throughout EKCEP's 23-county service area. The expansion will also allow EKCEP to reach more students than ever before, offering them invaluable guidance and support as they navigate their career journeys. 

During the kick-off training, EKCEP staff led sessions on a variety of topics covering everything from utilizing virtual reality career exploration tools to developing personalized career plans for students. Participants also learned about the importance of building strong relationships with local employers to facilitate internships and other work-based learning opportunities. 

The career development specialists who attended the training will be placed in high schools across Eastern Kentucky, providing students with direct access to career services. Their role will be to guide students through the process of exploring different career paths, developing essential soft skills, and connecting with potential employers. 

Additional events are being planned for the summer of 2024 as EKCEP prepares to launch its new in-school services during the fall semester. 

EKCEP, a nonprofit workforce development agency headquartered in Hazard, Ky., serves the citizens of 23 Appalachian coalfield counties. The agency provides an array of workforce development services and operates the Kentucky Career Center JobSight network of workforce centers, which provide access to more than a dozen state and federal programs that offer employment and training assistance for jobseekers and employers all under one roof. Learn more about us at http://www.ekcep.org, http://www.jobsight.org and http://www.facebook.com/ekcep.