PIKEVILLE, Ky. — Shaping Our Appalachian Region (SOAR) has received a $1,452,338 grant as part of the Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities (WORC) Initiative to support IT training efforts in Kentucky’s 54 Appalachian counties.
The project will help 290 people complete the IT training with Code Kentucky and help at least 150 of those graduates secure jobs.
Interested in Working in Tech?
SOAR and Code Kentucky are currently accepting applications through December 31. The free software development training also includes pathways to remote jobs in tech following completion.
Training starts January 8. No previous coding experience is required. What is required is a willingness to learn, work hard, and seize this opportunity.
Here are some other requirements:
- Be 18 or older
- A resident of one of Kentucky’s 54 Appalachian counties
- Possess a minimum of a high school diploma
- Have a home computer or laptop with a stable internet connection
- Must have a strong interest/aptitude in tech. This isn’t the basics of computers. Our program is geared toward people who have never programmed/coded before, but it requires some comfort/confidence with technology to be successful.
Over two, 12-week sessions, you’ll learn a coding language that is in high demand, including JavaScript, C#, or Python.
Learn more HERE.
The WORC initiative is a partnership between the Employment and Training Administration of the US Department of Labor, the Appalachian Regional Commission, the Delta Regional Authority, and the Northern Border Regional Commission.
The project will allow SOAR to build greater capacity around our existing workforce information technology (IT) training program with KentuckianaWorks and Code Kentucky in Kentucky’s 54 Appalachian counties, which is the organization’s target area.
“It is imperative to prioritize career training and support for rural Appalachians to ensure the region not only survives but thrives and competes,” said Appalachian Regional Commission Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin. “The newest round of WORC initiative grants will help give workers in distressed communities the resources they need to increase their career opportunities, which will in turn reignite Appalachian economies and boost the overall economic success of the entire region.”
Along with its partners, SOAR aims to sustain an economic transformation for the Appalachia region and create economic mobility opportunities for rural areas and underserved and under-represented members of the community.
The WORC Initiative serves new workers, dislocated workers, and incumbent workers who are looking to advance their careers. This project will prioritize veterans, women, individuals without college degrees, and individuals facing substance use disorder and persistent poverty.
