By MICHAEL CRIMMINS
Glasgow News 1
Barren County is one of 43 Kentucky counties that have been certified as a “Work Ready Community,” according to the commonwealth of Kentucky’s website, distinction that serves as “an assurance to business and industry that the community is committed to providing the highly-skilled workforce required in today’s competitive global economy.”
The Work Ready certification is, according to the website, the “most rigorous certification program in the nation…allow[ing] communities to demonstrate their workforce quality.” The certification process is overseen and reviewed by a panel of individuals representing ten stakeholder group and are appointed by the Kentucky Workforce Investment Board. The panel meets quarterly to review and, in some cases, hear presentations from hopeful applicants.
The criteria the panel reviews includes high school graduation rate, work-based learning opportunities, “engagement of underserved populations,” community commitment, educational attainment, soft skills development and internet availability.
According to prior reporting, and corroborated by the 2022-23 School Report Card, Glasgow Independent Schools had a four-year graduation rate of 96.6 percent, Barren County Schools had a 97 percent graduation rate and Caverna Independent had a four-year rate of 81.4 percent.
The Barren County Economic Authority reports that roughly 85.44 percent of the county population has a high school degree or higher. They also report approximately 19,607 individuals in the labor force.
Barren County was originally certified in 2017. At the time former Barren County Judge-Executive Micheal Hale said the recertification process occurred every three years.
According to a list of certified counties supplied by the commonwealth, and updated in Oct. 2023, with the exception of Warren County, Barren County stands alone as a “Work Ready Community” in the nine counties that make up Barren River Area Development District. Based on that data, Logan, Butler, Allen and Hart counties are “Certified Work Ready in Progress,” Simpson and Monroe have filed their letters of intent with the panel and Metcalfe is still in the formative stage.
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