In this week's episode of the East Kentucky Works podcast, we're featuring a recent airing of WYMT-TV's "Issues & Answers" program as host Steve Hensley discusses employment and retraining options available to miners affected by the recent Blackjewel mining company shutdown.

Hensley is joined in the discussion by EKCEP Executive Director Jeff Whitehead, Industry Liaison Trish Adams, and Research and Program Effectiveness Manager Bridget Back.

This discussion was recorded at the WYMT studio in Hazard, Ky. The video can be viewed at https://www.wymt.com/content/news/Issues-and-Answers-Eastern-Kentucky-CEP-513367811.html

To learn more about EKCEP's mission to prepare, advance, and expand the workforce of Eastern Kentucky, log on to ekcep.org.

Music from https://filmmusic.io
"Sweeter Vermouth" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

EKCEP Industry Liaison Trish Adams hosts this episode featuring Kentucky Power Company's External Affairs Managers Bob Shurtleff and Amanda Clark. The two discuss Kentucky Power's efforts in economic development within the company's 20-county service area, including partnerships with other organizations to support efforts to attract new business to the region.

This episode was recorded onsite at the One East Kentucky offices in Paintsville, Ky. 

To find out more about Kentucky Power Company, visit them online at kentuckypower.com.

To learn more about EKCEP's mission to prepare, advance, and expand the workforce of Eastern Kentucky, log on to ekcep.org. 

Music from https://filmmusic.io
"Sweeter Vermouth" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

This week we're joined by One East Kentucky President/CEO Chuck Sexton and Project Manager Ivy Stanley for a discussion about ongoing efforts to recruit new business and develop the region's economy.

This episode was recorded onsite at One East Kentucky's offices in Paintsville, Ky., with EKCEP Industry Liaison Trish Adams hosting.

Learn more about One East Kentucky online: http://www.oneeastky.com/

In this bonus episode, EKCEP Industry Liaison Trish Adams talks to three nurses (Hayleigh Ford, Melissa Smith, and Kelsey Lowe) with Appalachian Regional Healthcare in Hazard, Ky., about their experiences with the hospital's nursing externship program. EKCEP partnered with ARH on this program, which is designed to give prospective nurses real-world experience in nursing and helping preparing them for careers in the field.

This podcast session was recorded on site at the ARH Systems Center in the Airport Gardens section of Perry County, Ky.

We're joined this week by Sonya Bergman, system director for human resources with Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH) as she discusses ARH's efforts to help train and prepare nursing students for new careers in the region. Sonya also discusses partnerships with Galen College of Nursing in Hazard, Ky., and her role on the East Kentucky Workforce Innovation Board. 

This episode was recorded onsite at the ARH Systems Center located in Perry County and hosted by Trish Adams, industry liaison with Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program.

Learn more about ARH online at http://www.arh.org/

In this episode, we discuss the creation of SilverLiner, a premier tank manufacturer located in Pike County, Ky. SilverLiner's new facility is now open within the county's industrial park, utilizing workers from Eastern Kentucky. CEO Chris Tomlinson discusses the company's beginnings, and where he sees SilverLiner in the future. We also hear from Sean Cochran, SilverLiner's chief business development office, and welder Alex Francis.

This episode was recorded onsite at SilverLiner's new 65,000-square-foot manufacturing facility and hosted by Trish Adams, industry liaison with Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program.

Learn more about SilverLiner online at https://silverliner.com/

Teleworking, or working from home via a high-speed internet connection, is on the rise in Eastern Kentucky with national and global companies hiring thousands of local workers to provide a number of services for customers. Teleworks USA is leading the way, connecting more than 2,200 people with new work-from-home or work-from-hub positions.

In this episode, we hear from Teleworks USA Director Michael Cornett and Operations Manager Betty Hays about the program and how it works to help provide new opportunities for Eastern Kentucky workers. 

This episode was recorded on location at the Teleworks USA Annville Teleworks Hub in Jackson County, Ky., and hosted by Trish Adams, industry liaison with Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program (EKCEP), Inc.

Teleworks USA is an initiative of EKCEP.

In the second episode of EKCEP's East Kentucky Works Podcast (also available on Apple and Google podcast platforms), we hear from Harlan County Judge-Executive Dan Mosley and Executive Director of One Harlan Kentucky Colby Kirk.

Harlan County has been making strides in workforce and economic development in the region for the last few years. Mosley and Kirk talked on one of those major strides: a large, multi-employer job fair set for May 23, 2019, which brought in regional employers from the construction/skilled trades and/or healthcare industry, among others. Kirk also lets us know what One Harlan is all about and what they've been doing for the community. 

This episode was recorded on location at the Harlan Center in Harlan, Ky., and hosted by EKCEP Industry Liaison Trish Adams.

In this premier episode of EKCEP's East Kentucky Works Podcast, we hear from Kathy Walker, founder of the east Kentucky Advanced Manufacturing Institute (eKAMI) and two of the program's recent graduates, Brandon Adams and Mary Nelson, who began their careers in advanced manufacturing immediately after graduating from eKAMI this past spring.

eKAMI opened its doors two years ago with a mission to train Eastern Kentuckians in the use of computer numerical control (CNC) machines and prepare them for in-demand careers in the advanced manufacturing field. To date, nearly 60 people have successfully completed the training with support from Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program (EKCEP).

This episode was recorded on location at eKAMI's training facility in Paintsville, Ky., on April 25, 2019, and hosted by EKCEP Industry Liaison Trish Adams.