East Kentucky Works Podcast

Host Trish Adams sits down virtually with One East Kentucky’s Chuck Sexton and Ivy Stanley and Kentucky Power’s Amanda Clark to talk about the EKY Works 2.0 Workforce Study and how the results from it will help grow Eastern Kentucky’s economy.To learn more about the EKY Works 2.0 project, click here.  This episode was recorded virtually via Zoom on Thursday, June 25 due to the state and federal regulations regarding social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.To learn more about EKCEP's mission to prepare, advance, and expand the workforce of Eastern Kentucky, log on to https://www.ekcep.org.Intro music from https://filmmusic.io"Sweeter Vermouth" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

In this episode, host Trish Adams has a conversation with Keila Miller of Hazard Community and Technical College and EKCEP's Michael Cornett about a brand new program designed to train Eastern Kentuckians for careers in the tech industry as Salesforce developers. Applications for a new cohort of program participants are currently being accepted. Apply online here: ekcep.us/dcn This episode was recorded virtually via Zoom on Thursday, June 25 due to the state and federal regulations regarding social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.To learn more about EKCEP's mission to prepare, advance, and expand the workforce of Eastern Kentucky, log on to https://www.ekcep.org.Intro music from https://filmmusic.io"Sweeter Vermouth" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

In this week's special episode of the East Kentucky Works Podcast, host Trish Adams takes a trip down memory lane and revisits the Top 5 most listened to pods over the last year. To learn more about each episode, and to hear more of the episodes that are featured, make sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts!To learn more about EKCEP's mission to prepare, advance, and expand the workforce of Eastern Kentucky, log on to ekcep.org.Intro music from https://filmmusic.io"Sweeter Vermouth" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

The Pod is coming to you virtually again this week! Host Trish Adams has a conversation with officials with a brand new company to the region--Boxvana, a tiny home and building manufacturer in Martin, Ky., using a new building material that makes their products unique in the industry. Boxvana President Harrison Langley, Administrative Director Brian Corbett, and Director of Cultural Affairs Erik Limbollo talk about how they started their company and why they decided to open in Eastern Kentucky, as well as what the future holds for them and the region as their business grows. Boxvana is currently hiring for multiple positions! Go to https://www.boxvana.com/ to apply today.This episode was recorded via Zoom conference call on Thursday, May 14 due to the state and federal regulations regarding social distancing during the current COVID-19 pandemic.To learn more about Boxvana, visit https://www.boxvana.com/.To learn more about EKCEP's mission to prepare, advance, and expand the workforce of Eastern Kentucky,

In another virtual-cast, host Trish Adams speaks with staff in the Appalachian Regional Healthcare's (ARH) system of hospitals about their response to the COVID-19 pandemic and what that could mean for the future of health care in the region. ARH Chief Medical Officer Dr. Maria Braman, System Administrator of Ambulatory Services Roy Milwee, CCEO of ARH Highlands in Prestonsburg Tim Hatfield, and VP of Human Resources Sonya Bergman call in to talk about the changes being made at their hospitals to help deal with the novel coronavirus and if any of those changes are here to stay.  This episode was recorded via Zoom conference call on Tuesday, May 12 due to the state and federal regulations regarding social distancing during the current COVID-19 pandemic.To learn more about EKCEP's mission to prepare, advance, and expand the workforce of Eastern Kentucky, log on to https://www.ekcep.org.Intro music from https://filmmusic.io"Sweeter Vermouth" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)License: CC BY (http://c

This week, in our second virtually-recorded cast, host Trish Adams talks with Harlan County Judge-Executive Dan Mosley and Andrea Begley, field representative in Leslie County for Congressman Hal Rogers' office about the 2020 Census and how important it is for Eastern Kentuckians to fill it out this year. Mosley touches on how results of the 2020 Census will help determine how hundreds of billions of dollars in federal funding flow into communities over the next decade and explains some ways he's incentivizing his citizens to fill out the survey. Begley adds that that funding shapes many different aspects of every community, no matter the size or location.This episode was recorded via Zoom conference call on Thursday, April 23 due to the state and federal regulations regarding social distancing during the current COVID-19 pandemic.To learn more about EKCEP's mission to prepare, advance, and expand the workforce of Eastern Kentucky, log on to https://www.ekcep.org.Intro music from https://filmmusic.io"Sweeter

In our first episode recorded virtually since the COVID-19 outbreak, host Trish Adams talks with Dr. Melissa Newman, executive director of Regional Programming & Regional Stewardship at Eastern Kentucky University (EKU), about raising hope in the region to drive our economy and how a positive self-image as Eastern Kentuckians can change the conversation about our future. Newman also touches on some projects students can work on during this time of quarantine to not only educate themselves bot to also boost their hope for their future in the mountains. This episode was recorded via Zoom conference call due to the state and federal regulations regarding social distancing during the recent COVID-19 pandemic.To learn more about EKCEP's mission to prepare, advance, and expand the workforce of Eastern Kentucky, log on to https://www.ekcep.org.Intro music from https://filmmusic.io"Sweeter Vermouth" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

This week, we're talking with SOAR Executive Director Jared Arnett and BitSource, LLC, co-founder Rusty Justice about a new initiative taking shape in the state called Accelerate Kentucky. Arnett and Justice tell host Trish Adams how the initiative is set to assist the state's entrepreneurs in innovating and thriving in their local economies. To learn more about Accelerate Kentucky, go to https://www.soarinnovation.tech/.This episode was recorded at the Bit Source, LLC., offices in Pikeville, Ky., prior to the current state of emergency put in place in response to the recent COVID-19 pandemic.To learn more about EKCEP's mission to prepare, advance, and expand the workforce of Eastern Kentucky, log on to https://www.ekcep.org.Intro music from https://filmmusic.io"Sweeter Vermouth" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

This week, host Trish Adams is talking with the president of the Employer Resource Network (ERN) James Vander Hulst about what exactly the ERN model is and how he thinks it will be beneficial to the state and region.To learn more about ERN, go to https://www.ern-usa.com/.This episode was recorded at the EKCEP offices in Hazard, Ky., prior to the current state of emergency put in place in response to the recent COVID-19 pandemic.To learn more about EKCEP's mission to prepare, advance, and expand the workforce of Eastern Kentucky, log on to https://www.ekcep.org.Intro music from https://filmmusic.io"Sweeter Vermouth" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

On this week's episode, we're talking progress in the mountains with SOAR Executive Director Jared Arnett! From how the SOAR initiative got started and what exactly it is to where it's headed this year and what SOAR has in store for Eastern Kentucky, host Trish Adams gets the answers to all the questions you've had about SOAR.To learn more about SOAR, go to https://www.soar-ky.org/.This episode was recorded at the Bit Source, LLC., offices in Pikeville, Ky., prior to the current state of emergency put in place in response to the recent COVID-19 pandemic.To learn more about EKCEP's mission to prepare, advance, and expand the workforce of Eastern Kentucky, log on to https://www.ekcep.org.Intro music from https://filmmusic.io"Sweeter Vermouth" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

This week on the podcast we're replaying an episode of WYMT's "Issues & Answers" series featuring remote interviews via Skype with EKCEP Executive Director Jeff Whitehead and EKCEP Director of Agency Expansion and Teleworks USA Michael Cornett on the topic of workforce assistance during the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. If your job has been affected by the pandemic, you can contact your local Kentucky Career Center JobSight within the EKCEP service area at the following numbers based on your location:Bell-Whitley CAA (Bell County): 606-337-3044Big Sandy Area CAP (Floyd, Johnson, Magoffin, Martin, and Pike counties): 606-789-2857Daniel Boone CAA (Clay and Jackson counties): 606-598-5127Gateway CA (Menifee and Morgan counties): 606-743-3133Harlan CAA (Harlan County): 606-573-5335, extensions 237, 236, 241, or 233KCEOC CAP (Knox County): 606-546-2639LKLP CAC (Knott, Leslie, Letcher, and Perry counties): 606-436-3161Middle Kentucky CAP (Breathitt, Lee, Owsley, and Wolfe counties): 606-666-2369Northeast K

This week we're talking with Bit Source, LLC, co-founders Rusty Justice and Lynn Parrish about how they were able to mine computer coders out of the coalfields of Eastern Kentucky. Bit Source, founded in 2015 in Pikeville, Ky., is a tech start-up that offers full-service software development to businesses across the nation. Parrish and Justice discuss how Eastern Kentucky can turn its economy around with the help of coding and the digital economy, and how Bit Source can play a part in that.To learn more about Bit Source, go to https://www.bitsourceky.com/.This episode was recorded at the Bit Source, LLC., offices in Pikeville, Ky.To learn more about EKCEP's mission to prepare, advance, and expand the workforce of Eastern Kentucky, log on to https://www.ekcep.org.Intro music from https://filmmusic.io"Sweeter Vermouth" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

UPDATE: In light of new and heightened recommendations from state and national health experts discouraging large gatherings in wake of the COVID-19, or coronavirus, the first-ever Appalachia Cyber Summit, this subject of this podcast episode, has been POSTPONED.  A new date will be announced soon. Check www.thereisafuture.org/cybersummit for updates. A lot of thought and effort is being put into the development of a tech sector in Appalachian Kentucky, and that includes a focus on cybersecurity. EKCEP is partnering with Shaping Our Appalachian Region (SOAR), Eastern Telephone & Technologies, Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, and Four 18 Intelligence to bring the first-ever Appalachia Cyber Summit to Eastern Kentucky.Sponsored by Amazon Web Services, the Summit will focus on the threat of cyber crimes to local and regional businesses and government entities, and also the solutions that are in place to help keep these businesses and organizations safe. Joining us this week on the podcast is Joshu

This week we're talking with Richard Murch, an IT professional of more than 30 years, author, consultant for Teleworks USA during its inception, and advocate for the tech industry advancing the economy in Eastern Kentucky. Murch has worked for companies like IBM and Anderson Consulting and believes Eastern Kentuckians can benefit tremendously from technological developments available in the region now and in the future.This episode was recorded at the Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program's (EKCEP) offices in Hazard, Ky.To learn more about EKCEP's mission to prepare, advance, and expand the workforce of Eastern Kentucky, log on to https://www.ekcep.org.Intro music from https://filmmusic.io"Sweeter Vermouth" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

This week we're talking with Pat Murphy, chairman of the Kentucky Workforce Innovation Board (KWIB). The KWIB serves as an advisory board to the Governor on workforce training and development issues, and is also charged with creating a statewide vision for workforce development and adopting a plan to move Kentucky forward through workforce training and development.You can learn more about the KWIB online at https://kwib.ky.gov/Pages/index.aspxThis episode was recorded onsite at the Mayo-Underwood state office building in Frankfort, Ky.To learn more about EKCEP's mission to prepare, advance, and expand the workforce of Eastern Kentucky, log on to https://www.ekcep.org.Intro music from https://filmmusic.io"Sweeter Vermouth" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

This week we're talking Kentucky Skills U with Executive Director Reecie Stagnolia and Regional Coordinator Janet Slayden as they discuss efforts to connect adults to career and educational opportunities, and assist folks with earning their GED, or high school equivalency degree.Learn more online at https://kyskillsu.ky.gov/Pages/index.aspxThis episode was recorded onsite at the Mayo-Underwood state office building in Frankfort, Ky.To learn more about EKCEP's mission to prepare, advance, and expand the workforce of Eastern Kentucky, log on to ekcep.org.Intro music from https://filmmusic.io"Sweeter Vermouth" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

With our first new episode of 2020, we're talking about the UPS LOOP program and opportunities for Eastern Kentucky residents to earn wages and educational benefits from UPS while attending Jefferson Community and Technical College.We'll hear from Bill Geiger, UPS workforce planning manager in Louisville; Recruiting Supervisor Brittany McConnell; Workforce Planning Manager Pat Murphy, who also serves as chairman of the Kentucky Workforce Innovation Board; and Kelly Cummins, who retired from UPS and also worked in state government.Learn more about the UPS LOOP program online at https://www.jobs-ups.com/earn-and-learnThis episode was recorded onsite at the Mayo-Underwood state office building in Frankfort, Ky.To learn more about EKCEP's mission to prepare, advance, and expand the workforce of Eastern Kentucky, log on to ekcep.org.Intro music from https://filmmusic.io"Sweeter Vermouth" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

On this special holiday episode of the East Kentucky Works Podcast, EKCEP Industry Liaison Trish Adams sits down in Frankfort, Ky. with Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture Ryan Quarles to talk all things farming and food, and how the future of agriculture in the state is tied with economic development. Don't miss that last episode of 2019, and stay tuned in the New Year for more exciting conversations about the region! Learn more about the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, go to www.kyagr.com/commissioner/.This episode was recorded at the offices of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture in Frankfort, Ky.To learn more about EKCEP's mission to prepare, advance, and expand the workforce of Eastern Kentucky, log on to ekcep.org.Intro music from https://filmmusic.io"Sweeter Vermouth" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

This week EKCEP Industry Liaison Trish Adams brings us a conversation all the way from New Orleans, La., with Next Move Group: We Are Jobs' Co-founder and CEO Chad Chancellor. The Next Move Group is a management consulting firm dedicated to improving the economic futures of emerging and mid-sized companies and communities. Trish and Chad sit down to talk about the economic efforts going on in Eastern Kentucky and across the state and nation.Learn more about Next Move Group at www.thenextmovegroup.com.This episode was recorded at the Next Move Group office in New Orleans, La.To learn more about EKCEP's mission to prepare, advance, and expand the workforce of Eastern Kentucky, log on to ekcep.org.Intro music from https://filmmusic.io"Sweeter Vermouth" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Dajcor Aluminum Vice President of Operations Steve Everitt joins EKCEP Industry Liaison Trish Adams for this week's episode of the East Kentucky Works podcast. Dajcor is an aluminum extrusion company out of Canada that is set to open a new plant in the Coal Fields Industrial Park in Perry County in 2020 and bring 200 jobs to the region in the next five years. Join us to listen to Trish's and Steve's conversation about the process of opening a new plant in a new country, how Dajcor made the decision to move into Eastern Kentucky, and what the future holds for the company and the region.Learn more about Dajcor Aluminum online at https://dajcor.com/.This episode was recorded at the Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program's (EKCEP) offices in Hazard, Ky.To learn more about EKCEP's mission to prepare, advance, and expand the workforce of Eastern Kentucky, log on to ekcep.org.Intro music from https://filmmusic.io"Sweeter Vermouth" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)License: CC BY (http://creativecom