LEXINGTON, KY. – Goodwill Kentucky and its partners have launched a new employer-driven workforce partnership designed to connect Kentuckians with careers in the growing fiber optics industry through hands-on training and direct employment opportunities in Lexington.
The three-week fiber optics training program is being held at Goodwill Kentucky’s Lexington Opportunity Center in partnership with RLC Networks, the Kentucky Chamber Foundation, HourForce 24/7, the Hope Center, and Probation and Parole.
The inaugural cohort includes eight participants referred through Goodwill Kentucky’s Opportunity Center, the Hope Center, and Probation and Parole. Prior to the start of training, RLC Networks hosted an informational session for interested candidates to learn more about the industry, ask questions, and explore career opportunities. Approximately 27 individuals attended and were invited to apply for the program. Candidates then completed interviews conducted jointly by Goodwill Kentucky, the Kentucky Chamber Foundation, and RLC Networks before final selections were made by the employer.
“This partnership is about creating direct pathways to sustainable employment while helping employers meet workforce needs,” said Dennis Ritchie, Goodwill Kentucky vice president of reentry and strategic partnerships. “By combining industry training, hands-on experience, and supportive services, we are helping participants build long-term career opportunities in a high-demand field.”
During the first week of training, participants receive classroom-based instruction and hands-on technical training at the Opportunity Center. During weeks two and three, participants worked alongside field technicians in real-world environments to gain on-the-job experience. At the conclusion of the training, RLC Networks will extend job opportunities to selected participants from the cohort. The company plans to hire approximately 200 individuals over the next year. Additional cohorts are already underway.
“We want to first assist anyway we can in making people, better people,” said RLC CEO Greg Huff. “If we can create entrepreneurship, then that is even better.”
Goodwill Kentucky is also providing supportive services and job-readiness coaching throughout the program, including required workwear and other assistance to help participants successfully transition into employment. RLC Networks is providing the training, employment opportunities, and a completion bonus designed to help participants launch their careers as independent contractors.
For more information about Goodwill Kentucky in Lexington, visit GoodwillKY.org. For more about its strategic partnerships, contact Alycia Tidrick, Goodwill Kentucky director of strategic partnerships, at Alycia.Tidrick@GoodwillKY.org.
About Goodwill Kentucky
For more than 100 years, Goodwill Kentucky has helped Kentuckians find pathways out of poverty through the transformative power of work. Operating in 103 of Kentucky’s 120 counties, Goodwill Kentucky places over 3,000 Kentuckians into jobs each year through its 1,400-plus employer partners and its own retail stores. These life-changing opportunities are made possible through donations to our stores and community support. The organization reinvests approximately 90 cents of every dollar earned in its retail stores into job training and workforce programs. When you give to Goodwill, you do a lot of good.