LEXINGTON, KY. – Goodwill Kentucky, in partnership with Walsh Construction and the University of Kentucky, launched a pre-apprenticeship program in August 2025 to prepare participants for careers in the skilled trades through an eight-week, hands-on learning experience. Less than a year later, the program is already producing promising results.
Recently, the program celebrated the graduation of its second cohort, whose participants received job-readiness training, technical skill development, mentorship, and exposure to a variety of construction trades. Participants worked alongside industry professionals, received guidance from mentors, and gained firsthand experience on an active construction project. Goodwill Kentucky’s Lexington Opportunity Center identified and prepared candidates through outreach, screening, and workforce-readiness services, helping to connect job seekers with a pathway to sustainable careers in the construction industry.
One of those candidates, Lawrence Bruner, joined the Lexington Opportunity Center in April 2025 and quickly took advantage of available training and support services. During his time with Goodwill Kentucky, he completed job-readiness training, earned his forklift and OSHA-10 certifications, and secured his own apartment and vehicle. Goodwill Kentucky connected him to the pre-apprenticeship program, which he completed through Ameresco/Riverside Electric Contractors. He recently celebrated his graduation from the program.
Walsh Construction has demonstrated its commitment to workforce development beyond the pre-apprenticeship program. In October 2025, the company donated $50,000 to Goodwill Kentucky through the Louisville and Jefferson County Metropolitan Sewer District’s Community Benefits Program to support career training, job placement, and essential support services for Kentuckians in need.
“We are proud to join Goodwill Kentucky’s efforts to remove workforce barriers through their job-readiness training program, RISE,” said Kendra Simon, Walsh Group community relations manager. “This workforce development initiative empowers our neighbors as they pursue gainful employment and opens the door of opportunity for a brighter future that strengthens individuals, families, and our community at large.”
Alycia Tidrick, Goodwill Kentucky’s director of strategic partnerships, said connections with like-minded organizations help shape real change through Kentucky’s workforce.
“Strong partnerships create strong workforce opportunities,” said Tidrick. “Through our partnership with Walsh Construction and the University of Kentucky, participants gain hands-on training, industry connections, and a pathway to careers in the skilled trades. This program helps individuals build brighter futures while strengthening our local workforce.”
For more information about Goodwill Kentucky, visit GoodwillKY.org. For more about its strategic partnerships, contact Alycia Tidrick 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 Goodwill Kentucky 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.