Kentucky: Adult Education

Governor speaks at chamber banquet

By Richard RoBards, Publisher

Gov. Ernie Fletcher returned to the site where he announced his candidacy for governor, but this time his message was less about a long campaign and more about the hard work of running Kentucky.

Fletcher was in town to accept a $100,000 check for a GED program announced by Amazon.com, but in between grip-and-grin photo opportunities he was also guest speaker at the 56th Annual Chamber Awards Dinner.

Reeling off a list of Campbellsville connections - Stan Cave, Virginia Fox, Crystal Murray, Jamie Ennis and Jonathan Copley - serving in his administration, Fletcher mapped out his plan for a better state.

It all starts with focus, he said - focus on opportunities that will lead to students' choosing to stay upon graduation from college.

Fletcher said the state is suffering from a demographic disparity because we haven't attracted or kept our people in the state.

He said we'd paid taxes to keep state schools open to educate our youth, but that 16,000 had left the state in the past few years for opportunities elsewhere.

"We need to change the attractability of Kentucky," he said.

With a central location, good interstate highways and rail and river capabilities, Fletcher said Kentucky is positioned for success.

Kentucky's cost of labor is well below the national average, and worker productivity is well above the national average. That coupled with low energy rates should spell success, Fletcher said.

But one piece of the puzzle was corrected in the last legislature, he said.

The tax code was changed so that in-state businesses are no longer taxed higher than those out of state.

His administration is going about the "scoring of roads" - making sure that money spent on roads is going to roads that are leading to jobs.

"We want to be focused on opportunity and business and creating a friendly commonwealth," said Fletcher.

New Education Initiative

A major education initiative was announced Tuesday night at the 56th Annual Chamber Awards Banquet.

Sponsored by Amazon.com, the public/private partnership focuses on encouraging individuals located in 20 counties across Kentucky to earn their general education degree.

"Education is the key building block to creating a better Kentucky for all of us," said Gov. Ernie Fletcher, guest speaker at the banquet. "Knowledge is the foundation on which we build opportunities and successes for Kentuckians in the workforce today. By working together to build a better future through education, we can ensure that nothing is beyond our grasp."

Amazon contributed $100,000 in seed money to kick-start the project with $30,000 coming from adult education.

Called "Go, Earn, Do - GED," the program seeks to encourage the approximately one in four adults in the region without a high school diploma or GED. Participants who earn their GED under this program will be reimbursed for the cost of their exam (up to $40), receive a $20 Amazon.com gift certificate and be considered for employment at Amazon's Fulfillment Center in Campbellsville.

"We are excited to support this innovative partnership to advance the workforce skills and be a catalyst for economic growth in the Commonwealth of Kentucky," said Arthur Valdez, regional fulfillment manager for Amazon.com's Campbellsville Fulfillment Center.

The initial partnership is composed of Amazon.com.kydc (Amazon's Kentucky affiliate), the Kentucky Adult Education/Council on Postsecondary Education, the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and Team Taylor County.

"We are very pleased with the initiative of Amazon.com, in cooperation with the other partners, to encourage residents of this 21-county area to earn their GED. This public/private partnership is designed to increase educational attainment and preparation for the region's workforce," said John E. Chowning, chairman of Team Taylor County.

"The heartland region of Kentucky will benefit tremendously by this initiative. It was an honor to have Gov. Fletcher present for the formal announcement."

Go, Earn, Do - GED will work with the area's Adult Learning Centers and GED Testing Centers to ensure that individuals are made aware of the program. Additionally, the region's One-Stop Centers will play an integral part in program.

"Amazon.com sets the standard that a high school diploma or GED is essential if potential workers are to compete in today's economy. Go, Earn, Do-GED not only rewards adults for obtaining the GED, it connects the GED graduate with the possibility of a good job with one of the nation's top employers" said Cheryl King, vice-president for Kentucky Adult Education/Council on Postsecondary Education.

The specific counties the program will target include: Taylor, Adair, Barren, Boyle, Bullitt, Casey, Clinton, Cumberland, Green, Hardin, Hart, LaRue, Lincoln, Marion, Mercer, Metcalfe, Nelson, Pulaski, Russell and Washington.