Education and Training



WORC Round 5 Potential Applicant Webinar

The Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities (WORC) Initiative enables impacted communities to propose projects that demonstrate the alignment of regionally driven, comprehensive approaches to addressing economic distress and the necessary workforce development activities to ensure a workforce capable of succeeding in current and future job opportunities. This webinar is…
Event
Kentucky

Dataseam: Growing the IT Workforce in Eastern Kentucky

Like many coal-impacted areas in Appalachia, Eastern Kentucky is tackling economic transition head-on by diversifying its economic bases and creating new opportunities in communities. Emerging industries such as information technology (IT), computer science, and engineering have shown promise, but a shortage of IT talent was keeping the region from reaching…
Investment in Action
Maryland

Allegany

Frostburg State University: Advancing Technology in Western Maryland 

In September 2021, Frostburg State University received the state of Maryland’s first-ever ARC POWER implementation grant. The $1,480,979 award helped continue the development of the Advanced Technology Center at Frostburg’s Innovation Park, which works to strengthen Western Maryland’s economy by creating new job opportunities…
Investment in Action


Trauma Support for Schools: 2021 Virtual Summit

Join Regional Educational Laboratory Appalachia and the Cross-State Collaborative to Support Schools in the Opioid Crisis for a Summit event for researchers, practioners, and policymakers who support PreK-12 educators and students experiencing trauma. Participants will: Deepen their understanding of the impact of trauma on student learning and well-being; Share…
Event
Alabama

Jefferson

Jefferson State Community College: Powering Career Training in Alabama

Line workers hold one of the essential positions in a region’s critical infrastructure by safely maintaining their communities’ electricity access. In Jefferson County, Alabama and the Greater Birmingham region, there is a tremendous need for skilled line workers due to the high rate of retirements. Furthermore, with an average annual…
Investment in Action
Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia

A High School Shark Tank in Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia

“Revolutionary Unique” was one of the many businesses pitched at the Dare to DreamCompetition for high school students in Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia. Creating a brighter economic future for Appalachia means investing in leadership skills and capacity of young doers, thinkers and leaders today. That’s why ARC…
Investment in Action
Tennessee

Hamblen

Helping Women Enter the Recovery-to-Work Ecosystem in Appalachian Tennessee

Across Appalachia, developing a ready workforce must include helping workers re-enter and retain employment. Since 2017, the staff at the Helen Ross McNabb Center in Morristown, Tennessee, has been doing just that. The McNabb Center’s Jail to Work program gives women serving in county jails on drug offenses the…
Investment in Action
EdVenture Group's SWEEP Program in WV
West Virginia

Calhoun

SWEEP: Training West Virginia’s Entrepreneurs

“About 80% of West Virginia businesses have 20 or less employees,” said Alyssa Keedy, the Advanced Career Education Coordinator at the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE). Why is that the case? One reason is a disconnect between West Virginia workers and the skills needed by local employers. With many…
Investment in Action
New York

Chenango

Students Prepare for Post-Secondary Futures in Appalachian New York

Pictured from left to right are Hillary Wilcox, Visions FCU Branch Manager, and Jennifer Waite, the Delaware-Chenango-Madison- Otsego Board of Cooperative Educational Services Director of Career & Technical Education. Despite the reality that regional employers require skills such as specialized technical information, teamwork, and the use of technology, Appalachian New…
Investment in Action
South Carolina

Spartanburg

Spark Center SC: Launching local businesses

Since its conception in 2005, Spark Center SC, located on the Spartanburg Community College Tyger River campus in Duncan, South Carolina, has specialized in business incubation, soft landings, workforce employment services, and special projects which assists in spurring economic development. Between 2009-2019, the Spark Center has worked with over 100…
Investment in Action
Kentucky

Perry

Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program (EKCEP): TechHire in Eastern Kentucky

Tyrone Wilson, Founder & President of Cover 6 Solutions, leading instruction for the first-ever cohort of cybersecurity training participants onsite at the Pikeville Teleworks USA Hub in November 2019. For nearly 50 years, Hazard, Kentucky’s EKCEP (the Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program, Inc.), has offered focused training, employment, and workforce…
Investment in Action
Tennessee

Claiborne

Lincoln Memorial University’s College of Veterinary Medicine

Nationwide, there is a shortage of veterinarians in rural areas, including in Appalachia. With ARC funding, Lincoln Memorial University College of Veterinary Medicine purchased state-of-the-art equipment for the newly constructed Virginia campus to give students’ more opportunities to high paying jobs in the veterinarian field. Equipment includes life-size simulated farm…
Investment in Action
Mississippi

Oktibbeha

The Communiversity: Transforming Manufacturing in Mississippi

The Communiversity at East Mississippi Community College (EMCC) Center for Manufacturing Technology Excellence 2.0, is a state-of-the-art workforce training center looking to produce trained workers for some of the world’s most technically advanced manufacturers. ARC has invested $10.7 million in the 135,000-square-foot facility that delivers training and education to support…
Investment in Action