SKCTC Receives $1,633,164 from ARC’s POWER Initiative

CUMBERLAND, Ky. – Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College has been awarded $1,633,164 by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) to establish two new training programs to help students develop skills and certifications for sustainable careers across four counties in Southeast Kentucky.

This award is part of a recently announced $68.2 million award package supporting 65 projects in 188 coal-impacted counties through ARC’s POWER (Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization) Initiative, which directs federal resources to economic diversification projects in Appalachian communities affected by job losses in coal mining, coal power plant operations and coal-related supply chain industries.

The SKCTC Pathways to Power project will establish commercial driver’s license (CDL) and lineman training programs to help strengthen transportation networks and support reliable electricity in Southeast Kentucky. The CDL program will train the next generation of professional truck drivers, and the lineman program will prepare individuals to install, operate, maintain and repair electric power lines and cables. The programs are expected to serve 372 students and will start in Spring 2025 on the Harlan and Knox campuses.

“The overarching goal of the project is to create a robust training program to meet the need for high demand career pathways, family sustaining wages and a measurable economic impact within our service region,” said Sherri Clark, dean of Community, Workforce and Economic Development at SKCTC.

Additional support for the Pathways to Power project is provided by several community partners, including Bell County Fiscal Court, Middlesboro Coca-Cola Bottling Works, Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program (EKCEP), Barbourville Utilities, Patterson Trucking, Chu-Con Inc, Comb Equipment, Cumberland Valley Electric, Harlan County Fiscal Court and Solid Steel Solutions.

“These partnerships are a very valuable resource for this project and the overall success in meeting the deliverables,” said Dr. Patsy Jackson, SKCTC interim president/CEO.

“ARC’s POWER initiative supports coal-impacted communities’ preparation for the next phase of Appalachia’s economy, while ensuring that residents have a say in the course of their own futures,” said ARC federal co-chair Gayle Manchin. “The investments announced in this round of POWER will help train workers, advance new industries and build upon the progress already being made toward a brighter future full of economic opportunity for our region.”

Including this week’s award package, ARC has invested over $484.7 million in 564 projects impacting 365 coal-impacted counties since POWER was established in 2015. ARC’s investments have helped create or retain nearly 54,000 jobs and prepare nearly 170,000 workers and students for new opportunities in entrepreneurship, broadband, tourism, and other growing industries.

SKCTC is a public, comprehensive community and technical college offering over 50 programs at six campuses encompassing much of southeastern Kentucky. Its Workforce Solutions Department currently serves over 150 employers and provides more than 150 customized employer/business trainings annually.

For more information about SKCTC, visit southeast.kctcs.edu or call 855.246.7528.

The Appalachian Regional Commission is an economic development partnership entity of the federal government and 13 state governments focusing on 423 counties across the Appalachian Region. ARC’s mission is to innovate, partner, and invest to build community capacity and strengthen economic growth in Appalachia.