LOUISVILLE, KY. – Last night, Goodwill Kentucky and KentuckianaWorks celebrated the newest graduates of The Spot: Young Adult Opportunity Center, which offers free career resources for young adults ages 16-24 in the Louisville region. The graduation ceremony took place at the Goodwill West Louisville Opportunity Center.
Graduates were recognized for completing The Spot’s curriculum, which consists of work-readiness and life-skills training. Their training included self-presentation, resume writing, communication skills, mock interviewing, team building, conflict resolution, and more. Students received monetary stipends as they progressed through the curriculum.
“At Goodwill, we believe in removing barriers and opening doors to brighter futures,” said Rena Sharpe, chief operating officer of Goodwill Kentucky. “The Spot empowers young adults not only with job-readiness skills but also with the confidence and support they need to take their next step in life.”
The Spot, a partnership between Goodwill Kentucky and KentuckianaWorks, offers Louisville-area young adults free tools and support to connect them to pathways out of adversity and a productive educational or career path. It focuses on young adults facing significant barriers, such as homelessness, substance abuse, involvement in the justice system, and more. The Spot also helps with behavioral and mental health, spiritual health, wellness, legal aid, housing, transportation, occupational training, and family reunification.
“The Spot is more than a career center—it’s a support system,” said Michael Gritton, executive director of KentuckianaWorks, the Louisville region’s workforce development board. “Young people who come to The Spot find a team that cares about their well-being. They get connected to the resources they need and employers with good job opportunities.”
The Spot serves clients from Bullitt, Henry, Jefferson, Oldham, Shelby, Spencer, and Trimble counties through locations in downtown Louisville, Shively, Shelbyville, Hillview, and Eminence. It is supported by funding from the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Louisville Metro Government, and others.
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.
About KentuckianaWorks
An agency of Louisville Metro Government, KentuckianaWorks is the Louisville region’s workforce development board, serving job seekers and employers in Bullitt, Henry, Jefferson, Oldham, Shelby, Spencer, and Trimble counties. In addition to The Spot, KentuckianaWorks oversees SummerWorks, Code:You, the College Access Center, the local Kentucky Career Centers, Kentuckiana Builds, and other workforce programs and initiatives. Learn more at KentuckianaWorks.org.