NKY Works was unveiled as a regional workforce development initiative on Thursday at an event held at the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.
“Workforce development is the most pressing challenge facing businesses in Northern Kentucky,” said Campbell County Judge Executive Steve Pendery. “To continue to grow economically, we must find innovative ways to attract and retain talent. NKY Works is tasked with cultivating a workforce that is enthusiastic, prepared, and capable of filling quality jobs across all sectors of our economy.”
NKY Works continues and expands the work of GROW-NKY. When GROW-NKY was formed in 2018, businesses recognized that low unemployment, high workforce-participation rates, and essentially stagnant population growth could only be tackled through a collective approach. NKY Works will operate throughout the entire regional labor shed. It will provide a single point of contact for employers to find data, best practices, partners and resources that enable them to attract, grow, and retain talent. NKY Works provides a phone line, 859.657.WRKS (9757), to help businesses access services to support workforce development.
At the unveiling event, Rhonda Whitaker Hurtt, vice president of community engagement for Duke Energy and Brent Cooper, president of the NKY Chamber of Commerce, were recognized for their exceptional support of GROW-NKY.
“It is not an exaggeration to say that GROW-NKY would not have existed without Rhonda Whitaker Hurtt and Brent Cooper,” said Correy Eimer, NKY Works director and associate director of workforce development for the Northern Kentucky Area Development District (NKADD). “They were instrumental in its conception, its funding, and its overall success. Now, as we transition to NKY Works, they will continue their support for workforce development as members of our Executive Committee.”
The Judges Executive of Boone, Campbell, and Kenton Counties, in partnership with BE-NKY, are providing leadership and other resources to support NKY Works. The NKY Works’ executive committee includes representatives from Boone, Campbell, and Kenton County Fiscal Courts, BE-NKY, Brighton Center, Duke Energy, NKADD, the NKY Chamber of Commerce, and OneNKY Alliance. NKY Works is further guided by a 23-member Advisory Committee, led by Michelle Cestaric of Staffmark. The NKY Works team will be based at the Northern Kentucky Area Development District.
The initiative champions five key focus areas: early childhood education, career readiness, work-ready adults, talent attraction and retention, and employer policies and practices. Each focus area has its own set of goals and meets regularly. Those interested in getting involved should contact Dr. Vicki Berling, workforce integrator, at vicki.berling@nkadd.org.
Northern Kentucky Area Development District