Education and Training

Kentucky, Ohio

Shawnee State University: Building a Behavioral Health Workforce 

With support from ARC’s INSPIRE initiative, many Appalachian communities are addressing substance use disorder (SUD) by bolstering recovery-to-work programs and related support services. Portsmouth, Ohio and the surrounding area – which includes both Southern Ohio and several counties in north central Appalachian Kentucky – is no…
Investment in Action
Alabama

Jefferson

Jefferson State Community College: Driving Student Success

Located in and around the ‘Magic City’ of Birmingham, Alabama, Jefferson State Community College (JSCC) campuses serve more than 15,000 students each year – over half of whom are first-generation college students. JSCC provides more than 33 certificates and training programs in a wide range of industries, including manufacturing,…
Investment in Action


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
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
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
Kentucky

BRIGHT Kentucky: Leading the Region’s Future

BRIGHT Kentucky is a free training program building developed by the Leadership Kentucky Foundation to expand capacity of next-generation economic development leaders in the state’s 54 Appalachian counties. Made possible through support from ARC, The Kentucky Department of Local Government, the Whitaker Foundation, Shaping Our Appalachian Region (SOAR), and others,…
Investment in Action
West Virginia

Kanawha

Appalachian Hatchery: Supporting WV’s Manufacturers

The Appalachian Hatchery is an innovative advanced manufacturing incubator at Marshall University’s Robert C. Byrd Institute (RCBI) in Huntington, West Virginia. Established in 2017 with a $1.5 million ARC POWER grant, along support from the U.S. Economic Development Administration and the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, the Hatchery supports manufacturing, entrepreneurship, and business development in West Virginia’s southern most 20 counties –…
Investment in Action
Female students performs health check on first aid mannequin
Alabama

Jefferson

Jefferson State Community College: Meeting Industry Demand

Alabama’s Jefferson State Community College (JSCC) enrolls nearly 14,000 students annually at its campuses in Jefferson, Chilton, St. Clair and Shelby counties. Over half of JSCC attendees are first-generation college students. The College offers more than 33 certificate and training programs in vast array of fields including manufacturing, health care,…
Investment in Action