Ky. gets money to retrain unemployed workers

Ky. gets $1.2 million in federal funding to expand training programs for unemployed workers

Associated Press

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) -- Kentucky has received a $1.2 million federal grant to expand training programs for long-term unemployed workers in hopes of getting them into new jobs.

Gov. Steve Beshear announced the National Emergency Grant on Tuesday, saying the money will strengthen government programs to provide needed training.

States invited to apply for the one-time funding in May were asked to concentrate on people who have been unemployed for 27 weeks or longer and who have nearly exhausted their unemployment benefits.

Some areas of Kentucky continue to wrestle with rampant joblessness. Magoffin County in the state's Appalachian region has been reporting the highest unemployment, which reached 17.2 percent in May. And several nearby counties reported unemployment rates in the teens.