WELCOME TO A SPECIAL PROGRAM TONIGHT, BUILDING KENTUCKY'S WORKFORCE: A KET FORUM.

I'M RENEE SHAW.

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US.

THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS DISRUPTED SO MANY ASPECTS OF OUR LIVES, OUR ECONOMY AND WORKFORCE KEY AMONG THEM.

WHAT ARE THE WAYS THE STATE IS TRYING TO GET MORE KENTUCKIANS BACK ON THE JOB?

WHAT INDUSTRIES HAVE SUFFERED THE GREATEST AND MAY BE FOREVER CHANGED OR STRUGGLE TO REBOUND, THE CRITICAL FACTOR CHILDCARE PLAYS IN WHETHER ONE CHOOSES TO STAY OR LEAVE THE LABOR FORCE, AND WHAT POPULATIONS HAVE BEEN HIT HARDEST BY EMPLOYMENT SHIFT CAUSED BY THE PANDEMIC?

WE HOPE TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS AND MORE AS WE EXAMINE HOW THE STATE CAN BROADEN EDUCATION AND TRAIN OPPORTUNITIES FOR KENTUCKIANS S THEY CAN COMPETE IN AN EVER-EVOLVING ECONOMY.

WE HAVE A DYNAMIC GROUP OF BUSINESS, EDUCATION, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OFFICIALS AND POLICYMAKERS TO DISSECT THESE ISSUES AND PROVID JOINING ME TONIGHT FROM THE LEXINGTON STUDIO ARE BETH DAVISSON, VICE PRESIDENT OF WORKFORCE FOR THE KENTUCKY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

AARON THOMPSON, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE KENTUCKY COUNCIL ON POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION.

AND JOHN LYONS, RENTAL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE KENTUCKY WORKFORCE INNOVATION BOARD.

FROM OUR FRANKFORT STUDIO, WE WELCOME STATE REPRESENTATIVE RUSSELL WEBBER, A SHEPHERDSVILLE REPUBLICAN AND CHAIR OF THE HOUSE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND WORKFORCE INVESTMENT COMMITTEE.

AND BY SKYPE WE ARE DELIGHTED TO HAVAL SOME MARTIN, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF CORPORATE CITIZENSHIP AND DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS FOR GE APPLIANCE AND EDUCATION ADVOCATE MARY GWE WHEELER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF 55,000 DEGREES.

THIS FORUM IS WITHOUT OUR TRADITIONAL IN-STUDIO AUDIENCE FOR OBVIOUS SAFETY REASONS, BUT WE WANT YOU TO CHIME IN THE CONVERSATION WITH YOUR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS AT 1-800-494-7605 OR BY EMAIL AT FORUMS@KET.ORG OR LOOK ME UP ON TWITTER @RENEEKET THANK YOU, ONE AND ALL, FOR BEING WITH US.

IT'S USUALLY DIFFERENT, I THINK, BETH AND DR. THOMPSON.

YOU HAVE BEEN HERE BEFORE AND WE HAVE HAD A BIG SKEWED FULL OF FOLKS BUT OR OBVIOUS REASONS WE'RE GORE FOREGOING THAT TONIGHT ABOUT THE THE CONVERSATIONS GOING TO BE JUST AS HARDY.

I WANT TO START OFF BY SETTING UP THE CONVERSATION WITH SOME VERY IMPORTANT STATISTICS THAT COME TO US FROM THE KENTUCKY CENTER FOR STATISTICS ABOUT LABOR FORCE PASH EVER PARTICIPATION RATES, AND WE'RE GOING TO PUT THAT ON THE SCREEN.

SO WE KNOW THAT BEFORE THE PANDEMICS WE RANKED 43ED IN THE COUNTRY WITH A PARTICIPATION RATE AT 59.6%.

IN THE SUBSEQUENT MONTHS THAT PARTICIPATES RATE FELL TO 55.5% IN JULY MAKING LASTING INTO OTHER STATES, KENTUCKY DID.

IN NOVEMBER THAT RANKING WENT TO 46TH PARTICIPATES RYE RAUT.

WITH THE EXCEPTION OF WEST VIRGINIA, KENTUCKY'S PARTICIPATION RATE IS THE LOWEST AMONG THE SURROUNDING STATES OF ILLINOIS, INDIANA, MISSOURI, OHIO, TENNESSEE, AND VIRGINIA.

AND WHEN WE LOOK AT THE CHANGE IN TOTAL EMPLOYMENT, WE SEE THAT BY APRIL THE NUMBER OF 1.9 MILLION JOBS HAD FALLEN 15%, A DECLINE OF NEARLY 296,000 JOBS BETWEEN.

BETWEEN APRIL AND NOVEMBER THE NUMBER EMPLOYED INCREASED BY 32,000 TO REACH ALMOST 1.9 MILLION.

AND AS OF NOVEMBER 2020 THERE WERE STILL 63,600 FEWER EMPLOYED THAN IN FEBRUARY 2020.

SO I'M GOING TO GO RIGHT TO OUR WORKFORCE WORKING HERE, MR. MR. LYONS, AND ASK YOU PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL CONTEXTS FOR THOSE NUMBERS IS IF AND WHAT IS THAT IT WE'RE MISSING THAT WILL HELP US UNDERSTAND THE FULL PARTICIPATION RATE IN KENTUCKY WHEN IT COMES TO THE LABOR FORCE?

>> EVEN BEFORE THE PANDEMIC HIT, ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS FACING KENTUCKY WAS HAVING AN UNDERTRAINED WORKFORCE.

AND THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN MADE A PRIORITY, DEDICATED TO FROM THE BEGINNING, AND IT'S ONLY EXACERBATED THAT ONCE THE PANDEMIC HAS HIT, IS FINDING WAYS TO BE ABLE TO SKILL UP AND EDUCATE UP OUR WORKFORCE SO THAT THEY ARE PREPARED AND EQUIPPED FOR THE JOBS THAT ARE OUT THERE.

THERE STILL ARE JOBS OUT THERE TO BE HAD BUT SO MANY OF ES WE HAVE TO GET OUR WORKFORCE TRAINED P FOR THEM.

>> SO WE'RE STILL DEALING WITH SOME OF THOSE SAME ISSUES.

>> YES.

>> PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC.

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED BY WALKING L. TALKING THE OTHER LOCAL AND ECONOMIC WORKFORCE OFFICIALS ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE DEALING WITH IN THEIR REGION SPECIFICALLY?

ARE THERE VARIANCES BETWEEN REGIONS AND GEOGRAPHIC AREAS?

>> THERE ARE SOME VARIANCES BUNT IN GENERAL THEY'RE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE THEY CAN GET BACK, GET BACK ON THE JOB SITE.

YOU MENTIONED IN THE INTRODUCTION AS FAR AS HAVING TO MAKE DECISIONS BETWEEN WHETHER TO STAY HOME WITH CHILD CARE, WOMEN BEING ABLE TO GO BACK TO WORK.

A LOT OF THOSE SCAFFOLDS ARE NEEDED FOR FOLKS TO GET BACK TO WORK, WE'RE FACING IN ALL OF OUR SECTORS.

FINDING THAT WORKFORCE THAT'S GOING TO HAVE THE SKILL SET THAT THEY NEED REALLY TO FILL THE JOBS THAT ARE THERE NOW AND DOLLAR GOING TO BE THERE IN THE NEXT FIVE AND TEN YEARS.

>> SO THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE EVEN BEFORE THIS ADMINISTRATION, HAVE THERE BEEN SLIDES?

AND WHAT ARE THEY?

>> LIKE I SAY, I IT'S BEEN THE SAME ISSUES THAT ARE FACING US NOW, REALLY ARE THE ONES THAT WERE FACING US AS WE HIT THE PANDEMIC EXCEPT NOW WE HAVE EVEN GREATER CHALLENGES OF EVEN IMPLEMENTING SOME OF THOSE REMEDIES THAT WE HAD IN PLACE.

WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT MEANS OF PROVIDING ADDITIONAL EDUCATION, ADDITIONAL WORKFORCE STRANGE TRAINING, OPERATE JOB TRAINING, AND NOW WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE DO THAT IN A VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT, PROVIDING THE EXTRA SCAFFOLDS THAT THEY NEED.

NOW IF THEY'RE TAKING CARE OF SOMEONE THAT'S IN AN AT RISK POPULATION, IF THEY HAVE CHILD CARE, THEY HAVE THOSE OTHER ISSUES NOW WE HAVE FOLD ALL THOSE IN AS WELL.

>> BETH DAVIS SONSON, WHEN YOU WERE HERE THE LAST TIME WE HAD.

WE HAD ONE ON CAREER PATHWAYS GEARED TOWARD K-12 BUT WHEN WE DID ONE IN 2017, THE MAIN THEME WAS THERE WERE MORE JOBS THAT THAN THERE WERE HIGH OF EXILED H. SKILLED KENTUCKIANS TO FILL THEM.

AND THERE WERE FOR-HIRE SIGNS IN COMPANIES ACROSS THE STATE.

IS THAT STILL THE STORY.

>> >> I DON'T THINK WE CAN LOSE SIGHT OF THAT STORY.

SO MANY INDUSTRIES STILL ARE HIRING.

SOME HAVE REALLY BEEN HURT, AND THROUGH THE PANDEMIC IT'S SLOWED, BUT SO MANY STILL ARE HIRING.

AND KENTUCKY HAS BEEN PARTICULARLY HIT.

I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR KY STATS FOR KEEPING ON TOP OF THE WORKFORCE PARTICIPATION NUMBERS.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT THOSE NUMBERS MEANS, IT'S CLOSE TO 250,000 PEOPLE THAT HAVE STOPPED WORKING IN KENTUCKY AND STOPPED LOOKING FOR JOBS.

AND IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A THRIVING ECONOMY, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A WORKFORCE TO MEET THAT NEED.

AND WE KEY CAN'T LAY OUR FINGERS OFF THE PULSE OF MAKING SURE WE HAVE THAT QUALIFIED, EDUCATED WORKFORCE.

AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT THE NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE LOOKS LIKE ON KENTUCKY, WE HAVE BECOME A TOP FIVE STATE FOR MOST UI CLAIMS AND VULNERABILITY JOBS.

>> AND THAT'S UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE.

>> UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE, YES, AND VULNERABILITY JOBS, AND VULNERABLE JOBS ARE JOBS THAT MIGHT NOT BE COMING BACK DUE TO TECHNOLOGICALLY CHALLENGES.

>> SUCH AS?

CAN YOU GIVE US AN EXAMPLE.

>> >> SOME OF THE TECHNOLOGIC CHALLENGES WE THOUGHT B.

THERE THREE TO FIVE YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, EMPLOYERS HAVE RAMPED UP ON.

WILE HAVE BEEN WORKING AND LIVING IN A VERY VIRTUAL WORLD NOW.

WE HAVE HAD 1 MILLION MEETINGS IN THE PAST MONTH, AND WE HAVEN'T SEEN EACH OTHER IN SIX MONTHS.

>> RIGHT.

YOU'VE BEEN TALKING TO EACH OTHER.

>> BUT WE TALK EVERY SINGLE DAY BECAUSE EVERYTHING HAS JUST MOVED AND THEN SHIFTED TO THIS VERY TECHNOLOGICALLY WORLD.

SO IF WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT JOBS THAT ARE GOING TO REQUIRE THE EMERGENCE OF TECHNOLOGY, YOUR GOING TO NEED HIGHER LEVELS SKILL AND HIGHER LEVEL OF EDUCATION IN ORDER ANITA THAT NEED.

AND ANOTHER THING THE IMAGINED HAS DONE IN KENTUCKY AND MANY OTHER STATES, IT'S SHINED LIGHT ON OUR INEQUITIES.

AND SO WHEN LEE LOOK AT WHO HAVE BEEN THE ONES WHO LOSE THOSE JOBS AND WHO ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE HAD TO EXIT OUT OF WORKFORCE DUE TO CHILD CARE ISSUES OR WHOSE JOBS HAVE GONE AWAY WEBSITES WOMEN, IT'S MINORITIES, IT'S INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE UNDER 40 YEARS OLD, AND IF YOU HAVEN'T EARNED A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN KENTUCKY, YOU'RE TWICE A LIKELY TO HAVE LOST THAT JOB AND NOT WORKING RIGHT NOW.

>> I WANT TO GO BACK BECAUSE I WANT TAUS TALK ABOUT WOMEN IN PARTICULAR, BUT WHEN YOU SAID THOSE UNDER 40, MANY PEOPLE WHO THINK IF ANYBODY IS ADAPTABLE TO THIS VIRTUAL TECHNOLOGICAL WORLD THAT WE'RE IN, IT WOULD BE THE GEN X AND YOUNGER YOUNGER.

>> WHAT'S GOING ON THERE?

>> IT'S EDUCATION ATTAINMENT, AND I KNOW MY FRIEND DR. THOMPSON IS EXCITED TO TALK ABOUT THAT BUT IT REALLY CONNECTS TO EDUCATION ATTAINMENT, AND THOSE WITH HIGHER LEVELS OF EDUCATION ATTAINMENT HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED THE JOB LOSS THAT THOSE THAT HAVE THE HIGH SCHOOL DEGREES ARE JUST OVER HAVE.

>> I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT ON WOMEN, AND WE HAVE A COUPLE OF GRAPHICS TO SHOW, THAT THE NATIONAL BUREAU OF LABOR DISTICKS ESTIMATES INDICATE THAT FEMALE WORKERS COMPRISE 53% OF JOBS IN LEISURE AND HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY WHICH SHED THE LARGEST VOLUME OF JOBS IN KENTUCKY FROM MARCH TO APRIL 2020.

NOW, SOME LARGE MALE-DOMINATED INDUSTRIES WERE RELATIVELY INSULATED, FROM THE EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC: TRANSPORTATION, WAREHOUSING, UTILITIES, FOR EXAMPLE, ACCOUNTED FOR 113,000 PLUS JOBS IN MARCH AND SHED LESS THAN 10% OF THOSE JOBS IN THE FOLLOWING MONTH.

SO TALK ABOUT INEQUITIES IN THE GENDER ROMANS THAT TYPICALLY ARE PLAYED HERE.

>> YES.

SO JUST LIKE YOU SAID, THE INDUSTRY AESTHETICS MALE-DOMINATED FORTUNATELY IN KENTUCKY ARE THE LOGISTICS INVESTIGATORS SOME OF OUR BIGGER ENGINES HAVEN'T BEEN AS IMPACTED AND HAVE SEEN A LITTLE BIT OF GROWTH.

THE SECTORS THAT ARE DOMINATED BY WOMEN LIKE LEISURE AND HOSPITALITY WHERE THEY MAKE UP OVER HALF THE WORKFORCE, THEY'VE BEEN REALLY HURT.

SO WHAT THAT MEANS IN KENTUCKY THAT 55% OF THE UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS ARE WOMEN, AND WE HAVE NOT SEEN THAT TYPE OF NUMBER EVER.

>> EVER.

>> EVER.

THIS IS UNPRECEDENTED.

AND SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE LAST TIME WE HAVE HAD THAT FEW WOMEN IN WORKFORCE WAS 1998 WHICHD DOESN'T SEEM LOOK A LONG TIME, BUT IN THE HISTORY OF WOMEN WORKING, TWO DECADES IS QUITE A LOT OF TIME FOR US TO BE ROLLING BACK.

AND WHEN WE LOOK AT REASONS WHY WOMEN HAVE CITED THAT THEY HAVE HAD TO LEAVE THE WORKFORCE WEBSITES EITHER THEY'VE LOST A JOB BECAUSE THE INDUSTRY IS SUFFERING OR THEY'RE CLAIMING UNEMPLOYMENT AND NOT ABLE TO PARTICIPATE DUE TO CHILD CARE OR SCHOOL CLOSURES.

AND, IN FACT, IF YOU LOOK AT IT'S OVER 100,000 WOMEN IN KENTUCKY HAVE STOPPED WORKING DUE TO CHILD CARE ISSUES.

AND IF YOU TAKE ALL THE REASONS THAT ARE COVID-RELATED, COVID-SPREAD IN THE WORKPLACE, BUSINESS CLOSURES, ANY SORT OF COVID OFFER OR MOYER REASON AND COMPILE ALL THOSE, THEY STILL DON'T REACH THE AMOUNT OF WOMEN THAT HAVE STILL HAD TO LEAVE THE WORKFORCE DUE TO THOSE SCHOOL CLOSURES AND CHILD CARE ISSUES.

>> WE'RE GOING TALK MORE ABOUT THOSE CHILD CARE ISSUES AND HEAR FROM A WINCHESTER MOM AND A STATE REPRESENTATIVE WHO HAS BEEN IN THOSE SITUATIONS.

BUT I WANT TO GO NOW TO DR. AARON THOMPSON.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

YOU, TOO, HAVE PARTICIPATED IN SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION HOW IT PLAYS A CRUCIAL ROLE.

WE KNOW THE CPE SET AN AMBITIOUS ROLE OF RAISING THE NUMBER OF KENTUCKIANS IS POST SAID,Y DEGREES BY 20% BY THE YEAR 2030.

HOW IS THAT GOING?

AND HOW MUCH HAS THE PANDEMIC IS IT BACK, IF IT HAS?

>> BEFORE I ANSWER THAT, LET ME GIVE SOME CONTEXT TO THE OTHER CONVERSATION BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT IT AND IF YOU STRATIFY THE DATA, WHAT YOU WILL FIND OUT IS THE WOMEN THAT HAVEN'T LOST THEIR JOBS ARE THOSE WHO HAVE SKILL OR HIGH TECHNICAL SKILLS OR ALL CLEANING DEGREED PEOPLE SUCH AS NURSES, SUCH AS TEACHERS AND SO ON.

SO WHEN WE LOOK AT ALL THESE PEOPLE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THE MOST DIRECT, INDEPENDENT VARIABLE TO UNEMPLOYMENT IS THAT PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THE HIGHER EDUCATION, CERTIFICATE OR A DEGREE OF SOME SORT.

IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE THAT ARE THRIVING IN THE WORKFORCE, WHETHER IT WAS THE GREAT RECESSION OF 2009 OR WHETHER IT WAS BECAUSE OF COVID, YOU'LL FIND OUT THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT WILL HAVE A HIRE EDUCATION BACKGROUND.

THAT'S WHY I ARGUE THAT WE HAVE TO GET TO A 60% ATTAINMENT RATE OF PEOPLE WITH SOME HIGHER EDUCATION CREDENTIAL THAT MATTERS, THAT HELPS THEM TO THRIVE, BY 2030 WE'RE NEVER GOING TO BUILD THE ECONOMY AND THE WORKFORCE IT'S GOING TO TAKE TO GET KENTUCKY FIFTH FROM THE BOTTOM IN POVERTY.

SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THIS.

NOW, WE'RE DOING FAIRLY WELL.

WE NEEDED ABOUT A 1.7 PERCENTAGE POINT INCREASE FROM WHERE WE WERE AT TO GET THERE BY 2030.

WE ARE ACTUALLY DOING ABOUT A 3.5 PERCENTAGE POINT TO GET THERE.

BUT THE ISSUE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE, THAT'S WHY I ARGUE THAT HIRE EDUCATION IS A STRATEGIC INVESTMENT, IS THAT WE HAVE TO FIND OURSELVES NOT JUST FULFILLING THE LOW SKILL JOBS BUT WE HAVE TO GET THOSE FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN DISPLACED IN BEING ABLE IN THIS PIPELINE TO SORT OFY SORT OF CREATING BETWEEN W-12 AS WELL AS IN SOME FACETS OF OUR WORKFORCE THAT ARE DOING A LOT ALONG THESE LINES TO GET PEOPLE IN A CREDENTIAL THAT MATTERS.

>> AND WHEN YOU SAY A CREDENTIAL THAT MATTERS, WHAT DO YOU MEAN SPECIFICALLY?

ARE IS THERE CREDENTIALS THAT DON'T MATTER AS MUCH?

>> WHAT WE KNOW IS THERE ARE CREDENTIALS THAT CAN LEAD TO A LOW-WAGE JOB THAT WILL, IN FACT, WHEN THE DOWNTURN HAPPENS AS DID IT IN COVID 1 THEY'LL LOSE THEIR JOB, AND THEY'LL HAVE TO GET RESKILLED TO COME BACK.

A CREDENTIAL THAT MATTERS IS ONE THAT'S, IN MY BOOK, IS AT LEAST A LOW SKILL LEVEL WORKFORCE CREDENTIAL ALL THE WAY UP TO EVEN A Ph.D. THAT WOULD ALLOW PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO CHANGE.

YOU ASKED THE QUESTION EARLIER, YOU MADE POINT EARLIER, SEEMS TO ME THOSE UNDER 40 COULD ACTUALLY BE A LITTLE MORE NIMBLE.

THE REASON WHY THEY'RE NOT NIMBLE IS THEY DON'T HAVE A STACKABLE CREDENTIAL OR SOMETHING THAT WOULD ALLOW THEM TO MOVE INTO ANOTHER FIELD SEAMLESSLY.

SO A CREDENTIAL THAT MATTERS WOULD ALLOW YOU TO BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY TAKE WHAT YOU HAVE AND TO BUILD ON IT IN A FAIRLY QUICK MANNER OR BE NIM THE ONLY GO IF THAT JOB YOU LOSE, YOU CAN MOVE TO ANOTHER POSITION.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE ARGUE WITH OUR COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM AS WELL AS OUR FOUR-YEAR SYSTEM, THAT WE WANT TO GIVE THOSE DEGREES THAT GO TO ACTUALLY ALLOW SUSTAINABLE WAGE AND A SUSTAINABLE JOB.

>> SO BECAUSE YOU AND MS. DAVISSON TALK A LOT, WHAT IS SHE TELLING TAUGHT BUSINESS COMMUNITY NEEDS FROM THE HIGHER EDUCATION COMMUNITY?

>> WELL,, THEY NEED MORE COMMUNICATION SKILLED JOBS THAT BETH AND I TALKED WITH BUT WE ALSO KNOW WE ACTUALLY NEED TO HAVE OUR STUDENTS EMPLOYABLE READY.

IN OTHER WORDS, WE NEED TO BE TEACHING THEM EMPLOYABILITYIBLE AND HOW TO CRITICALLY, THEY HOW TO PROBLEM-SOLVE, HOW TO WORK BEAM IN DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS, HOW TO DO ALL OF THOSE.

SO IT'S NOT JUST THE TECHNICAL SKILLS THEY NEED.

THEY ALSO NEED THOSE ESSENTIAL EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE.

AND THOSE ARE PIECES I THINK WE NEED TO COALESCE AROUND ARE THOSE TECHNICAL, HIGH TECHNICAL SKILLS IN MANY CASES, OUR MIDDLE TECHNICAL SKILLS, AS WELL AS THOSE HIGH EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS.

>> WE HAVE A QUESTION AND COMMENT FROM JEFF SIMS WHO SAYS "SOME COUNTRIES IN THE EU TEST IN EIGHTH GRADE TO OUTROUTE STUDENTS TO UNIVERSITY, COLLEGE OR THE TRADES.

GIVEN THE TECHNOLOGY CHANGES TO OUR WORLD, IS THIS MODEL BECOMING MORE VIABLE FOR THE U.S.?"

>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, LET ME JUST SAY COLLEGE IN THIS STATE, THE TRADES ARE OUR COLLEGES IN THIS STATE.

SO THIS IS WHAT I TELL PEOPLE.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT COLLEGE, WE'RE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT TRADITIONAL LIBERAL ARTS DEGREE.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE TRADES ALSO.

SO I DON'T THINK YOU SHOULD BE TRACKED IN THIS THAT LINE BUT I THINK YOU SHOULD ACTUALLY ABLE TO WORK AND HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO KNOW WHAT CAREER THAT YOU CAN DO, WANT TO DO, AND HAVE THE PROPENSITY TO DO.

AND I THINK WE DO NEED TO START IN THE SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE WITH FAR MORE CAREER FOCUS AS WELL AS GIVING AS MANY OF OUR STUDENTS EITHER IN HIGH SCHOOL OR COLLEGE A WORK-BASED LEARNING EXPERIENCE WHERE WORKING WITH EMPLOYERS AND OTHER FOLK OUT THERE, THEY WOULD BE ALLOWED TO ACTUALLY GET A GOOD SENSE OF WHERE THEY NEED TO GO.

>> AND THERE ARE CAREER PATHWAY PROGRAMS IN A LOT OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS ACROSS THE STATE AND A PRENSHIPS, PRE-APPRENTICESHIPS.

SO I DO WANT TO ASK YOU THIS NEW EDUCATION CONSORTIUM THAT HAS BEEN FORMED BEAN 2KE CTE, K REPRESENTATIVE AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT CABINET HELP HOW DOES IT TRACK?

>> I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS.

I TELL PEOPLE, WHAT DOES HIRE EDUCATION NEED IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

I SAY WE NEED ON A STRONG PRE--12 SYSTEM.

WE NEED A STRONG EARLY CHILDHOOD SYSTEM.

WE'RE LOOKING AT NOW EDUCATION ACROSS THE PIPELINE IN A VERY SYSTEMIC WAY.

IT'S WHAT I CALLED PATHWAYS, PROCESS, PIPELINES AND POTHOLES.

WE ARE LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN ALIGN STUDENTS TO GET INTO A PLACE WHERE THEY NEED TO BE EARLY AND KNOW WHERE THEY NEED TO GO AND TALK ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT COLLEGE IS.

EVEN IF NOT A FOUR-YEAR DEGREE.

WE ALSO NEED TO UNDERSTAND THERE ARE GAPS.

I MEAN, WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR KINDERGARTEN READINESS, WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR EIGHTH GRADE READINESS, WE HAVE ALL OF THESE TRANSITION POINTS THAT ARE NOT GOOD.

ONLY 50%, RENEE, A LITTLE OVER 50% OF THE STUDENTS THAT GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL ARE GOING TO COLLEGE.

WE CANNOT BUILD THAT WORKFORCE WITH THAT.

SO ALL OF THESE ARE POTHOLES THAT THIS P-20 SYSTEM THAT THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR AND JASON GLASS, COMMISSIONER GLASS AND MYSELF ARE CHANGER, AND WE'LL HAVE A LOT OF SUBCOMMITTEES, BY THE WAY.

WE HAVE A LOT OF INPUT FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE.

IT REALLY LOOKS HOW THE CAN WE THINK ABOUT THIS FROM EARLY CHILDHOOD ALL THE WAY THROUGH EMPLOYMENT.

AND SO THIS IS A KEY PIECE THAT WE HAVE HAD LEFT OUT BEFORE.

SO WE'RE NOT JUST DOING THIS IN NAME ONLY.

THE REASON WHY WE'RE CHAIRING IT, BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME POLICY-LEVEL POWERS TO DO THINGS ABOUT IT.

WE'LL BE WORKING WITH OUR LEGISLATURE, OUR GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND OTHERS TO HELP US TO KNOW HOW TO I WILL IF THESE POTHOLES.

>> WE'RE NOT GOING TO ASK YOU TO DOO THAT ALLITERATION OF THE Ps AGAINY FOUR TIMES REALLY FAST.

>> PLEASE DON'T.

>> BUT ALSO, AND YOU WERE LEWDING TO THE FACT THAT ALMOST 50% OF KENTUCKY KIDS ARE NOT PREPARED WHEN THEY GO TO KINDERGARTEN EITHER SO THERE'S A LOT OF CORRELATIONS MARY GINN WHEELER.

YOU ARE THE 55,000 DEGREES.

YOU ALL JUST FINISHED YOUR TEN-YEAR PROJECT AND YOU WROTE AN OP ED IN THE JOURNAL AT THE END OF DECEMBER TALKING ABOUT WHERE THINGS STAND NOW AND THE TO WORK CONTINUING THAT IS LITERALLY EVOLVING INTO 502.

I WANT YOU TO TAKE INTO CONTEXT WHAT YOU HAVE LEADER HEARD AND HOW 55,000 DEGREES HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING LOUISVILLE HAVE A HIRE LEVEL OF DEGREE ATTAINMENT.

>>EL WITH, RENEE, IT STARTS WITH SETTING THAT GOAL.

BACK IN THE LAST RECESSION WE CAME TOGETHER AND SAID EDUCATION ATTAINMENT DOES MATTER AND SET A 50% GOAL FOR WORKING AGE POPULATION TO HAVE YOU AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE OR HIGH PER AND WE HAVE MADE GREAT PROGRESS.

WE'RE AT 46%, HAVING ADDED AN 8 PERCENTAGE POINT INCREASE AND ADDED 40,000 MORE EDUCATED, COLLEGE EDUCATED PEOPLE.

AND I THINK YOU CAN TAKE CONFIDENCE FROM A PARTNERSHIP JUST LIKE AARON WAS TALK ABOUT, DR. THOMPSON WAS TALKING ABOUT, WORKING ACROSS THE SYSTEM.

THIS 55K PARTNERSHIP REALLY FOCUSED ON HOW DO WE FIND THOSE LEAKAGE LEAKAGE POINT AND DO THE HAND-OFFS IN BETWEEN SECTORS AND GET OUT OF OUR SILOS AND COME TOGETHER TO SOLVE PROBLEMS.

OUR LOCAL POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTIONS IN LOUISVILLE ARE NOW PRODUCING 2500 MORE DEGREES ANNUALLY THAN WHEN WE STARTED TEN YEARS AGO.

BUT WE'VE BEEN FACING SOME HEADWINDS.

DR. THOMPSON MENTIONED THE 50% ENROLLMENT COMING OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL.

AND THAT'S A DECLINE OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS.

AND SO WE'RE SEEING THAT EVEN THOUGH WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PRODUCE MORE DEGREES, THAT'S IN THE FACE OF A DECLINING ENROLLMENT RATE.

AND WHAT'S BEHIND THAT I THINK IS COST.

AND THE SHIFTING BURDEN OF THE COST OF POST-SECONDARY TO FAMILIES AND STUDENTS HAS MADE COLLEGE SEEM UNTENABLE OR THE VALUE, PERCEPTION OF VALUE HAS DECLINED.

AND SO PART OF THE THING THAT WE'VE ADDRESSED BY STANDING UP A NEW ORGANIZATION CALLED EVOLVE 502 STOW HIT THAT PERCEPTION HEAD ON BY TELLING ALL THE GRADUATES OF THE JCPS, JEFFERSON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THAT WE'VE GOT YOUR BACK, THAT AT LEAST TWO YEARS OF POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION WILL BE TUITION-FREE.

AND WE HAVE MADE THAT GUARANTEE NOW, WE'VE RAISED ENOUGH FUNDS TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT GUARANTEE FOR ALL FOUR CLASSES AT JCPS THAT ARE ENROLLED IN HIGH SCHOOL RIGHT NOW.

AND THAT IS FOR THOSE CREDENTIALS THAT AARON WAS TALKING ABOUT.

IT MIGHT BE FOR A ONE-YEAR RN DEGREE OR A RAD TECH IN THE HEALTH CARE COMMUNITY OR SOME OF THE TRADES OR IT MIGHT BE FOR THAT TWO-YEAR ASSOCIATE DEGREE.

AND ALL OF THOSE ARE STACKABLE, AND MOVE ON TO BEING EDUCATED.

WHAT IT TAKES IS SOMEBODY GETTING A LITTLE BIT OF HELP IN, AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY WITH HIS COMMUNITY WE'VE GOT TO GET PEOPLE BETTER AT NAVIGATE BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST OUR HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS THAT NEED TO THINK ABOUT COLLEGE AND ENROLL.

IT'S ALSO ALL THOSE WHO STARTED COLLEGE, WE HAD ALMOST 100,000 PEOPLE IN LOUISVILLE IN 2010 WHEN WE STARTED THAT HAD SOME COLLEGE, NO DEGREE.

THAT'S NOW DOWN TO ABOUT 80, 85,000.

SO WE'RE MAKING SOME HEADWAY.

BUT WE'VE GOT TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO COME BACK IN, GET A SHORT-TERM, SOMETHING THAT'S VALUABLE IN THE MARKETPLACE, AND GIVES THEM CONFIDENCE THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE.

SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE CAN TAKE CONFIDENCE FROM THIS IDEA THAT IF WE WORK ACROSS SECTORS, WE CAN MAKE PROGRESS, BUT WE'VE GOT TO HIT THAT COST PER CEPTION HEAD ON, AND ONE WAY TO DO THAT IS TO SAY WE'RE GOING TO MAKE TUITION MUCH MORE AFFORDABLE FOR ALL OF OUR KENTUCKY COMMONWEALTH PEOPLE, AND THERE ARE SOME PROPOSALS OUT THERE TO DO THAT.

>> I WAS GOING TO CAN YOU, MARY GWEN, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT ALL STUDENTS, ARE THERE ANY QUALIFIERS THERE?

WILL THERE BE GPA REQUIREMENTS THAT HAVE TO BE MET OR DOES ALL REALLY MEAN ALL?

>> NO, I THINK THAT THE IDEA HERE IS WE'RE TRYING TO SHIFT THE PARADIGM FROM K-12 TO K-14, THAT THIS IS WHAT IT TAKES TO POWER AN ECONOMY.

IT PRESENTS OPPORTUNITIES AND HOPE FOR EVERYBODY.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT HAS HAD TO BE AN EXPECTATION.

AND SO I THINK THAT'S REALLY THE MESSAGE WE'RE TRYING TO SAY, IS THAT THOSE FIRST TWO YEARS SHOULD BE AFFORDABLE TO ALL.

AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE KNOW, THOUGH, IS THAT THOSE WHO ARE GOING TO MOST LIKELY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT ARE THOSE WHO NEED AT THIS TIME MOST AND WHO ARE CHOOSING NOT TO GO TO COLLEGE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THEY THINK IT IS TOO EXPENSIVE.

AND EVEN IF THE FINANCIAL AID COVERS TUITION, THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER COSTS OF COLLEGE, EVERYTHING FROM BOOKS TO JUST ROOM AND BOARD AND TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT YOURSELF WHILE YOU'RE GOING BECAUSE THERE'S THIS OPPORTUNITY THE COST OF NOT WORKING, EVEN THOUGH MOST COLLEGE, COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS ARE WORKING, THE VAST MAJORITY OF WORKING.

>> SO THIS IS NOT A MEANS TESTED PROGRAM, AS WE SAID.

ALL MEANS ALL.

SO IT DOESN'T MATTER THE FAMILY OR STUDENT INCOME LEVEL AND ABILITY TO AFFORD COLLEGE ON THEIR OWN.

THEY WOULD BE GIVEN THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR TWO FREE YEARS.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> AND THE RATIONALE FOR THAT?

>> THE RATIONALE IS THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE THE COMMON MESSAGE, THE UNIVERSAL MESSAGE SO KIDS, WHEN THEY'RE IN KINDERGARTEN, UNDERSTAND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO BE FORKED TO ME, AND IT IS ONLY FOR OUR KCTES INSTITUTIONS, THE KENTUCKY TECHNICAL AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM, AND FOR SIMMONS COLLEGE WHICH IS OUR LOCAL HPCU, HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY.

AND WE KNOW THAT NOT EVERYBODY WILL CHOOSE THOSE COLLEGES.

SO MANY HAVE MANY MORE OPPORTUNITIES RIGHT NOW, AND WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY HAS AT LEAST THAT ENTRYWAY, AND I HAVE TO ALSO CALL OUT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE HAS SAID FOR THE FIRST CLASS, CLASS OF 2021 THAT'S GRADUATING THIS YEAR, THAT IF THEY FINISH THE TWO YEARS AT JEFFERSON MOST LIKELY BUT ANY OTHER KCTS INSTITUTION, AND FINISH THEIR DEGREE, THEY WOULD GET THEIR SECOND TWO YEARS TUITION-FREE AT UofL, AND THAT GRANT IS NEEDS-BASED.

>> WOW.

ALLISON MARTIN, FROM GENERAL ELECTRIC, I THINK YOU'RE ALSO A PART OF.

THIS EVOLVE 502 EFFORT AS WELL, IS THAT RIGHT?

GE IS, AND HAS BEEN REALLY INVOLVED IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ISSUES FOR A LONG TIME.

IN FACT, WE HAVE HAD A REPRESENTATIVE ON BEFORE TO TALK ABOUT THE WORK THAT GE HAS DONE.

TALK TO US ABOUT WHY YOU THINK THAT THIS PARTICULAR TWO-YEAR FREE COLLEGE IDEA IS WHAT WOULD MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE.

>> THANKS, RENEE.

YES, GE APPLIANCES IS SO THRILLED TO BE A PART OF THE EVOLVE 502 INITIATIVE.

AS MANY PEOPLE KNOW, OUR CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS IS HERE IN LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, SO WE HAVE TWO VERY DISTINCT STAFFING NEEDS HERE IN LOUISVILLE.

WE HAVE A CORPORATE QUARTERS BUT WE ALSO HAVE OF OUR LARGEST MANUFACTURING FACILITY IN THE COUNTRY.

SO WE EMPLOY 3800 FOLKS IN OUR MANUFACTURING FACILITY HERE, AND ANOTHER 2800 IN OUR CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS.

SO REALLY PROUD TO BE ONE OF THE LARGEST EMPLOYERS IN LOUISVILLE, AND THE LARGEST EMPLOYERS IN KENTUCKY, AND WITH THAT COMES A RESPONSIBILITY THAT'S ALSO BENEFICIAL TO GE APPLIANCES, THAT'S ALSO BENEFICIAL TO THE COMMUNITY THAT WE CALL HOME.

SO OVER THE PAST TEN YEARS WE HAVE INVESTED $50 MILLION IN OUR PUBLIC EDUCATION ENTITIES HERE IN LOUISVILLE AND EVOLVE 502.

SO JCTC, UNIVERSITY THE OF LOUISVILLE, JEFFERSON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FROMTHROUGH OUR ACADEMIES OF LOUISVILLE INITIATIVE, REALLY FOCUSED ON WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.

AND I WILL ALSO ADD THAT ONE OF THE AREAS WE'VE BEEN FOCUSED ON FOR A VERY LONG TIME IS EQUITY.

AND SO HOW DO WE PROVIDE EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL STUDENTS, ALL YOUNG PEOPLE IN JEFFERSON COUNTY BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT DIVERSITY MAKES US A BETTER BUSINESS, IT MAKES US A MORE CREATIVE BUSINESS, IT HELPS US BECOME CLOSER TO OUR CONSUMERS, BUT IT ALSO PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES THAT IMPROVE THIS COMMUNITY BEYOND MEASURE.

SO I THINK IT'S A NATURAL OUTREACH FOR US, BUT IT'S ALSO A PRIORITY FOR OUR BUSINESS BECAUSE WE DID HAVE THIS NEED.

AS YOU'VE HEARD SEVERAL OUR PANELISTS TALK ABOUT, THIS ISN'T NEW IN KENTUCKY.

COVID HAS EXACERBATED THE ISSUE AND THE NEED FOR A SKILLED WORKFORCE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, IN 2014, GE APPLIANCES LED A GROUP AND WE PULLED TOGETHER A TASK FORCE OF MANUFACTURERS AND CREATED A REPORT AND SPECIAL CALL-OUTS THAT WE FELT WERE NECESSARY IN ORDER TO PROVIDE MORE SKILLED TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES TO CREATE A MORE SKILLED WORKFORCE HERE IN KENTUCKY.

AND WHAT I WILL TELL YOU IS THOSE EFFORTS ARE PAYING OFF.

GE APPLIANCES IS SO PROUD TO BE PART OF THE ACADEMY OF LOUISVILLE INITIATIVE HERE IN LOUISVILLE, AND WE ARE REALLY FOCUSED ON DOC HIGH SCHOOL AND WE WOULD HAVE PARTNERED WITH MY HIGH SCHOOL IN LOUISVILLE BUT WE THOSE DO'S WHICH WAS PARTICULARLY ONE OF THE LOWEST FORMING SCHOOLS IN KENTUCKY, AND SWEDE HOW DO WE REALLY REACH OUT AND CHANGE THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO GO TO SCHOOL AT DOS.

AND SINCE OUR PARTNERSHIP A FEW YEARS AGO LAUNCHING THOSE CAREER PATHWAYS AS THE DOS, WE HAVE SEEN THE COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS SCORE AT DOS GO UP FROM ABOUT 20% TO THE HIGH 50s, ABOUT 57, 60 PERCENT.

SO THAT IS A HUGE CHANGE.

WE KNOW THAT WE CAN TRANSLATE THAT INTO EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AT GE APPLIANCES AND REALLY SHOW STUDENTS THAT THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY NOT JUST FOR A STARTING JOB AT GEA AS DR. THOMPSON MENTIONED, BUT HOW DO WE SHOW THEM THE VALUE OF A GE APPLIANCES JOB THAT THEY MAY ENTER AS A YOUNG PERSON OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL, THAT THEY MAY HAVE GOALS, AND WE WANT THEM TO HAVE GOALS OF ATTAINING DIFFERENT JOBS WITHIN GEA OR COLLEGE HELP ALONG THE WAY, COLLEGE ATTAINMENT, DEGREE ATTAINMENT.

SO WE OFFER A VARIETY OF TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES AND TO REALLY MAKE THAT ATTAINMENT POSSIBLE.

THE REALLY EXPANDING OUR WORKFORCE AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THAT STILLED WORKFORCE, BUT AS YOU ALL CAN SEE HERE, AS WE ALL TALK, EVERYTHING'S CONNECTED.

EVERY SINGLE THING THAT ALL OF US ARE TALKING ABOUT IS CONNECTED, AND I THINK COVID HAS REALLY SHOWN THAT.

AND WE ARE JUST SHOW THRILLED TO BE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION TONIGHT, BRINGING TO LIGHT ONCE AGAIN, I'LL BE INTERESTED IN HEARING WHAT OUR OTHER PANELISTS TALK WITH WITH THE WOMEN IN WORKFORCE.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE KNOW HAS AN EMPLOYER THAT WE'VE BEEN SHOWN DURING COVID IS AS A MANUFACTURING EMPLOYER SPECIFICALLY, HOW DO WE INJECT FLEXIBILITY INTO A CAREER THAT IS TYPICALLY BEEN INFLEXIBLE.

SO WHEN OUR EMPLOYEES NEEDED TO TAKE OFF THIS SUMMER OR EARLY SPRING BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE CHILD CARE,ET THEY HAD A FAMILY MEMBER TO TAKE CARE OF, WE ALLOWED THAT AS A.

WE SAID TAKE TIME YOU NEED.

YOUR JOB WILL BE HERE.

WE MADE ALL KIND OF BENEFITS AVAILABLE TO THOSE FOLKS.

BUT THEN OUR SALARY EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING MYSELF, WE WENT OUT AND WORKED THE ASSEMBLY LINES SO THAT WE MADE SURE THAT OUR EMPLOYEES THAT WERE ESSENTIAL, OUR PRODUCTS THAT WERE ESSENTIAL WERE GETTING TO THE FOLKS THAT NEEDED IT BECAUSE WE SAID WE'RE GOING TEAK CARE OF OUR PEOPLE, OUR CUSTOMERS AND OUR COMMUNITIES.

SO WE VOLUNTEERED.

WE MADE THAT HAPPEN.

WE ALSO ADDED 550 JOBS DURING THE PANDEMIC.

SO WE'RE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT WE MADE IT THROUGH WITHOUT ANY LAYOFFS, ADDED JOBS.

BUT THEN AS WE TRIED FOIL THOSE JOBS LIGHT OF FOLKS WERE NEEDING FLEXIBILITY BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE ACCESS TO CHILD CARE, AND SO ONE OF OUR MOST POPULAR PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE LAUNCHED LISTENING TO OUR WORKFORCE WAS MIND-FRIDAY WORKFORCE.

WE CALL IT GDA TWO-DAY.

YOU CAN WORK AT GE APPLIANCE FOR TWO DAYS A WEEK, AND IN ADDITION TO GETTING PAY AND BENEFITS YOU ALSO GET A $6,000 A YEAR TUITION CREDIT.

SO THAT'S BEEN INCREDIBLY POPULAR WITH A LOT OF WOMEN WHO WANT TO WORK IN THAT ENVIRONMENT BUT ALSO ATTAIN A COLLEGE DEGREE.

HAVING WORKED IN THE SERVICE INDUSTRY BEFORE, BECAUSE OF THE FLEXIBILITY THAT IT HAD PROVIDED.

SO I'LL BE INTERESTED IN HEARING MORE ABOUT THAT CONVERSATION AND HOW WE CAN ALL FOCUS ON PROVIDING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AND KEEP MOVING OUR BUSINESS FORWARD AND OUR STATE FORWARD.

>> REPRESENTATIVE RUSSELL WEBBER, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

YOU'RE IN OUR FRANKFORT CAPITOL ANNEX STUDIOS.

IT'S GOOD TO SEE UP.

YOU ARE CHAIR OF THE WORKFORCE INVESTMENT COMMITTEE.

SO THIS CONVERSATION IS RIGHT UP YOUR ALLEY AND I'M SURE YOU'VE HAD THIS ON REGULAR OCCASION.

NOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE STARTING BACK UP PART TWO OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY NEXT MONDAY -- NEXT TUESDAY, RATHER, WHAT ARE THE CONVERSATIONS AND THE POLICIES THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED THAT COULD COME THROUGH YOUR COMMITTEE THAT WOULD HELP IN THIS WHOLE CONVERSATION ABOUT BUILDING KENTUCKY'S WORKFORCE?

>> WELL, THANK YOU, RENEE, AND THE CONVERSATION HAS BEEN VERY ENLIGHTENING TONIGHT, AND I THINK IT'S POINTED OUT THE THINGS THAT I HAVE HEARD AS CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE, IS THE FACT THAT WITH THE COVID PANDEMIC, IT HAS REQUIRED THE STATE AS A WHOLE TO LOOK AT OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM, OUR TRAINING, OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, WHAT ADJUSTMENTS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE IN THAT AREA.

OBVIOUSLY, DAYCARE, AS YOU MENTIONED, AND WE'LL DISCUSS LATER, IS CRITICAL BECAUSE I'M HEARING OVER AND OVER OF THE HARDSHIP THAT FOLKS ARE HAVING THERE WITH BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE CHILD CARE IN ORDER TO RETURN TO THE WORKFORCE.

YOU KNOW, WE PASSED THE FIRST WEEK OF THE SESSION, WE'LL COME BACK AND DEAL WITH AGAIN, HOUSE BILL 1 WHICH WE'RE HOPING WILL HELP BUSINESSES ACROSS THE STATE GIVE A PATHWAY FOR REOPENING AND BRINGING EMPLOYEES BACK TO WORK.

I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE CRITICAL.

I THINK ANOTHER AREA THAT WE MAY NOT NECESSARILY DEAL WITH IN THE COMMITTEE, THE ONE THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT IS WE REALLY NEED OUR SCHOOLS TO REOPEN IN THIS STATE.

YOU KNOW, THE CDC HAS ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION INDICATED THAT THE SCHOOLS NEED TO BE OPEN.

AND I THINK ON NOVEMBER 19th OF LAST YEAR THE CDC DIRECTOR ROBERT REDFIELD SAID THAT IT WAS GOOD AND BENEFICIAL FOR STUDENTS TO BE IN SCHOOL.

JUST YESTERDAY WE HEARD A REPORT THAT -- FROM THE COURIER-JOURNAL THAT SAID THAT IN JEFFERSON COUNTY SCHOOLS, STUDENTS ARE FALLING BEHIND IN READING AND MATH.

THOSE ARE CRITICAL COMPONENTS FOR THE THINGS WE'VE HERD DISCUSSED TONIGHT ABOUT HAVING A WORK-READY WORKFORCE THAT'S ABLE TO STEP IN AND MEET THE NEEDS AND THE DEMANDS OF EMPLOYERS.

AND, OF COURSE, THE COMMITTEE WILL BE LOOKING AT THE UNEMPLOYMENT ISSUE IN THE STATE AND HOW DO WE MOVE FORWARD ON THAT, HOW DO WE IDENTIFY THE PROBLEMS WE'VE HAD, AND HOW DO WE COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS TO HELP THAT SYSTEM SO THAT IF WE'RE HIT AGAIN IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS WITH ANOTHER SITUATION OF MASSIVE UNEMPLOYMENT, HOW DO WE SUSTAIN THAT SYSTEM AND MOVE FORWARD AND NOT FIND OURSELVES BACK IN THE SAME PREDECK AMOUNT AGAIN?

>> REPRESENTATIVE WEBBER, YOU BELIEVE THAT BEFORE THE END OF THE SESSION ON MARCH 30th THAT THERE WILL BE A BILL THAT ADDRESSES UNDER THE EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE SYSTEM IN KENTUCKY?

>> IT MAY NOT ADDRESS IT ENTIRELY.

THAT IS GOING TO BE A LONG PROCESS.

ONE OF THE THINGS I'D LIKE TO DO IS USE THE INTEREST RIM OF PROCESS AFTER THE SESSION -- INTERIM PROCESS AFTER THE SESSION TO TAKE A DEEP DIVE TALKING TO THOSE FOLKS THAT HAVE SUGGESTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HOW DO WE POSSIBLY RESTRUCTURE, CHANGE OUR UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE PROGRAM IN THE STATE.

I WILL HAVE SOME LEGISLATION THAT WILL PROVIDE SOME RELIEF FOR THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE EMPLOYING OUR KENTUCKIANS FROM THE TAXES, FROM THE RATES THAT THEY'RE EXPECTED TO FACE.

SOME OF THEM ARE GOING FROM RATE SCHEDULE A TO SCHEDULE E. THOSE ARE GOING TO BE SOME HUGE FINANCIAL HITS FOR EMPLOYERS.

AND IF WE WANT THESE FOLKS TO BEGIN TO REHIRE AND BRING BACK KENTUCKIANS AND EXPAND AND CREATE NEW JOBS, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT HOW WE CAN BEST HELP THE FOLKS THAT CREATE THE JOBS OUT THERE.

>> SO THIS IS PROBABLY A BETTER QUESTION FOR THE CHAIR OF THE A&R COMMITTEE, BUT DUE SO THERE BEING ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL SUPPORT UI SYSTEM TO HELP PROP IT UP?

WE HAVE HEARD THE OTHER SIDE SAY BECAUSE THE LEGISLATURE CUT SYSTEM AND SHED JOBS, THAT CONTRIBUTED TO MANY OF THE INEFFICIENCIES THAT THE SYSTEM CURRENTLY IS EXPERIENCING.

>> WELL, I WILL SAY IN 2018 THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY PASSED LEGISLATION TO BEGIN TO SET ASIDE A PERCENTAGE OF UI PAYMENTS FOR TECHNOLOGIC TECHNOLOGIC.

I THINK THE BILL CALLED FOR THE FUND TO CAP OUT AT $65 MILLION.

AT $15 MILLION OR $19 MILLION, THEN WE WERE TO BEGIN THE PROCESS OF GOING THROUGH WITH THE TECHNOLOGIC UPGRADES THAT THE FUNDS WOULD BE THERE FOR THAT.

TECHNOLOGY UPGRADES.

THAT CERTAINLY WAS THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY HAVING SOME FORESIGHT, RHODE ISLAND REALIZING THAT OUR TECHNOLOGY IS OUTDATED AND IT NEEDED TO BE UPDATED.

AT THE TIME WE SAW FOLKS MOVED FROM THE EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE INVESTMENT OFFICES HANDLING UNEMPLOYMENT ISSUES, WE ONLY HAD A 4.8% UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN THE STATE.

SO THERE WASN'T A LOT OF WORK FOR THOSE FOLKS TO DO AT THAT TIME THE DECISION WAS MADE TO TRANSFER THEM.

REGARDING FUNDING, I KNOW THAT THERE HAS BEEN A REQUEST TO PUT MONEY FROM THE GENERAL FUND INTO THE UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE TRUST FUND.

THAT SYSTEM WENT FROM A JANUARY JANUARY 2020, $619 MILLION SURPLUS TO NOW WE'RE PROBABLY CLOSE TO $700 MILLION IN THE HOLE.

SO THAT IS CERTAINLY A MAJOR TASK THAT WE HAVE AHEAD OF US, REBUILDING THAT FUND, AND ALSO REPAYING THE FEDERAL LOAN, $865 MILLION FEDERAL LOAN THAT WAS TAKEN OUT BY THE ADMINISTRATION.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF BIG FINANCIAL ISSUES THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE LOOKING AT AND DEALING WITH.

>> I DO WANT US TO RETURN BACK TO THE CHILD CARE ISSUE, AND WE'VE ALLUDED TO IT SEVERAL TIMES TONIGHT, AND WE HAVE A QUICK PIECE THAT HIGHLIGHTS TWO WOMEN, ONE A WINCHESTER MOM, SARAH MATTINGLY, AND THEN A STATE REPRESENTATIVE JOSIE REMAINED RAYMOND WHO TALKED ABOUT THEIR DECISION TO LEAVE THE WORKFORCE.

>> I'VE BEEN WORKING IN WINCHESTER, KENTUCKY SINCE I GRADUATED IN 2004 FROM PHYSICAL THERAPY SCHOOL, AND I WORK IN THE SAME PLACE FOR 16 YEARS.

AND REALLY, REALLY LIKED MY JOB.

LOVED BEING A PHYSICAL THERAPIST.

LOVED EVERYTHING ABOUT IT REALLY.

THE PEOPLE, THE FRIENDS I'VE MADE, JUST THE JOB IN GENERAL.

BUT ONCE SCHOOL STARTED, IT JUST GOT A LOT MORE CHALLENGING BECAUSE I WAS GOING IN AT 7:00, GETTING OFF LIKE BETWEEN 1:30 AND 2:00 AND THEN I WOULD COME HOME AND HAVE THREE KIDS IN THREE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS.

SO I HAD TO MAKE SURE EACH ONE OF THEM WAS GETTING WHAT NEEDED, AND REALLY NOBODY WAS GETTING WHAT NEEDED BECAUSE IT JUST WAS -- I WAS SPREAD WAY, WAY TOO THIN.

MY YOUNGEST IS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND THE SECOND GARETH RIGHT NOW ARE NOT GETTING LIVE INSTRUCTION.

SO EVERYTHING HE GETS IS VIA VIDEO.

AT THAT TIME WE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE A GOOGLE CLASSROOM.

IT WAS PACKETS.

AND SO TO GET HIM TO TRY TO DO THAT DURING THE DAY WITHOUT NEE WAS NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE.

I WOULD COME HOME AND PRETTY MUCH HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING WITH HIM.

AND MY HUSBAND WORKS OUT OF TOWN FROM MONDAY TO FRIDAY, SO IT WAS ALL ON ME.

AND LUCK LIVE GOT A TRIBE PEOPLE THAT WILL HELP ME WHEN NEEDED BUT WE LIVE IN THE COUNTRY, NOT IN TOWN, AND SO IT WAS DEFINITELY A LOT OF RUNNING AND A LOT OF FIGURING OUT AND WHO IS GOING TO EAT WHEN AND WHERE AND AM I GOING TO COOK AND IT JUST WAS EXHAUSTING.

SO ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF TO TWO AFTER SCHOOL STARTED, I PUT IN MY NOTICE AND 30 DAYS LATER I'VE BEEN OFF SINCE OCTOBER 16th.

SO NOW I'M JUST FULL-TIME HOMESCHOOLING MAMA.

BEING A MOM YOU ALWAYS STRUGGLE WITH THE WORK-HOME DYNAMIC AND FEEL HIKE YOU NEED TO BE ALL THESE THINGS FOR YOUR KID, SO I REALLY LOVE MY JOB BUT I LOVE MY KIDS MUCH MORE THAN MY JOB, AND SO PART OF ME ALWAYS FELT THEY MISS OUTED ON ME BEING THAT STAY AT HOME MOM AND DOING ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY GET TO DO.

BUT BECAUSE I LOVE MY JOB SO MUCH, IT WAS NOT THE WORST THING IN THE WORLD.

IT WASN'T LIKE I WAS GOING TO A JOB I DIDN'T LOVE.

FOR ME THE DECISION WAS PROBABLY EASIER THAN IT WAS FOR OTHER WOMEN BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE I'M IN A SITUATION WHERE IF IT WEREN'T FOR MY HUSBAND AND HIS JOB AND THE BUSINESS DOING WELL, WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO MAKE OTHER DECISIONS.

I HAVE A LOT OF OUTSIDE HELP WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY THAT CAN HELP GET MY KIDS HERE AND THERE, BUT NOT EVERYBODY HAS THAT, SO FILE LIKE THAT IS LIKE A MAJOR BARRIER FOR A LOT OF WOMEN.

>> SO AT THE BEGINNING OF LAST MARCH MY FAMILY WAS LIKE A LOT OF FAMILIES.

WE HAD TWO WORKING PARENTS.

WE HAD A KINDERGARTNER IN PUBLIC SCHOOL AND WE HAD TWO KIDS IN DAYCARE, PRE-K STUDENTS AND AN INFANT.

AND THEN THE PANDEMIC HIT AND ALL THREE CHILDREN WERE SUDDENLY AT HOME FULL-TIME.

AND SO MADE THE DECISION THAT MILLIONS OF MOMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE MADE AND TENS OF THOUSANDS OF WOMEN ACROSS KENTUCKY AND MADE THE DECISION TO LEAVE MY FULL-TIME JOB SO I COULD BE HOME WITH MY CHILDREN, NEVER IMAGINING THAT IT WOULD BE ALMOST A YEAR LATER AND WE WOULD BE IN THE SAME SITUATION.

NOW I HAVE A FIRST-GRADER AND A KINDERGARTNER AND HAVE BEEN FACILITATING THEIR VIRTUAL LEARNING FOR MONTHS AND MONTHS.

THANKFULLY THE BABY'S IN DAYCARE, BUT I DON'T THINK ANY OF US COULD HAVE ANTICIPATED THE IMPACT THIS WOULD HAVE OUR LIVES.

IT'S DIFFICULT TO FACILITATE VIRTUAL LEARNING, AND I WAS A TEACHER.

I TAUGHT SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE READING AND WRITING BUT THAT DIDN'T PREPARE ME TO FACILITATE LEARNING AT HOME WITH MY OWN CHILDREN.

THEN SECOND PART PARTED WAS LOSING THE IDENTITY I HAD A WORKING MOM.

I KNOW I'VE TALKED TO SO MANY WOMEN, CONSTITUENTS OF MINE AS WELL AS FRIENDS, WHO SAID THAT IT REALLY, REALLY SHOCKED HOW THEY THOUGHT OF THEMSELVES.

WELL, FOR MY FAMILY PART OF WHAT MADE OUR DECISION AND WHAT THE REALLY COMMON FACTOR IS THAT MY HUSBAND MAKES MORE MONEY THAN I DO.

SO WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT SOMEBODY'S GOT TO STAY HOME WITH THE KIDS, WHO IS IT GOING TO BE, THAT WORK FELL TO ME, AND I KNOW THAT'S A VERY COMMON EXPERIENCE FOR WOMEN IN KENTUCKY.

WE TALK A LOT IN FRANKFORT ABOUT WORKFORCE PARTICIPATION, WHICH IS THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE EITHER WORKING OR LOOKING FOR WORK.

AND THIS IS A NUMBER THAT HAD BEEN FALLING IN KENTUCKY FOR A DECADE.

AND THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC WE HAVE SEEN THAT KENTUCKY HAS ACTUALLY GONE THROUGH 41st IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN OUR WORKFORCE TO 50th.

SO NOW WE'RE DEAD LAST IN THE NATION.

THERE ARE THREE MAJOR FACTORS FOURS THINK ABOUT WHEN WE'RE THINKING ABOUT COVID RECOVERY.

ANY RECOVERY HAS TO PRIORITIZE MOMS.

SO IF FIRST COMPONENT IS VACCINE DEPLOYMENT.

IS IS DECKED THE SECOND IS GECHT OUR KIDS BACK TO SCHOOL.

THIS I HAD T. THIRD PIECE AND POLYMAKERS ARE NOT PAYING ENOUGH ATTENTION TO, IS GECHT MOMS BACK TO WORK.

WE DON'T GET A VACCINE ON MONDAY, AND GET ALL OF THESE MOMS BACK TO WORK ON WEDNESDAY.

THE RECOVERY IS NOT THAT SIMPLE.

IN TERMS OF SUPPORTING MOMS WHO ARE RETURNING TO THE WORKFORCE, A LOT IS BEING ASKED A LOT OF COMPANIES IN TERMS OF FLEXIBLE ENVIRONMENTS, EQUAL PAY, BUT WE NEED TO LOOK AT SOME STRUCTURAL POLICY ISSUES AS WELL THAT WE KNOW SUPPORT WOMEN IN THE WORKFORCE P. THESE ARE THINGS LIKE PAID FAMILY LEAVE, EXPAND ACCESS TO CHILD CARE AND PRE-K. THOSE ARE ISSUES I'VE BEEN FIGHTING FOR FOR YEARS BUT I HOPE DURING THIS PANDEMIC WE HAVE SEEN HOW KICKING THEY ARE, NOT TO PARENTS AND FAMILIES AND PARENTS BUT TO OUR ECONOMY AS A HOLE.

>> BETH DAVISSON, YOU WERE NODDING YOUR HEAD THROUGHOUT THAT COURSE, AND LIGHT OF THOSE THINGS YOU HAVE HEARD TIME AND TIME AGAIN, THAT MOM ARE BEING DISPLACED, THEY'RE MAKING THAT CHOICE BECAUSE OF THE CHILD CARE NEEDS AND BEING HOME AND HOMESCHOOLING.

IT'S BEEN A TOUGH ROAD FOR A LOT OF WOMEN IN KENTUCKY AND THROUGHOUT THE NATION.

AND SHE MENTIONED SOME THINGS ABOUT PAID FAMILY LEAVE, THE FLEXIBLE ACCORDING SCHEDULES AND EVEN ALLISON MARTIN MENTIONED SOME OF THAT BEFORE.

I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT WHAT SHOULD BE THE POLICY CHANGES, STRUCTURAL CHANGES THAT CAN HELP MOTHERS REENTER THE WORKFORCE IF THEY DESIRE.

>> YEAH, IT WAS SO GOOD TO HEAR FROM BOTH OF THOSE WOMEN THAT HAVE SACRIFICED SO MUCH AND HAVE HAD TO GIVE UP THEIR JOBS.

I MEAN, I BET WE COULD ALL GO TO OUR NEIGHBORS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND SO MANY WOMEN HAVE HAD TO MAKE THOSE THE SAME DECISIONS.

AND IT COMES DOWN TO THEY HAVE NO CHOICE RIGHT NOW.

BUT THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE AND WERE SO ABSOLUTELY RIGHT IS WE HAVE TO GET THOSE WOMEN BACK IN THE WORKFORCE.

WE RIGHT NOW IN THE KENTUCKY CHAMBER WEBSITE HAVE 92,000 OPEN JOBS THAT OUR CHAMBER MEMBERS CANNOT GET FILLED.

BEFORE THE PANDEMIC 82% OF BUSINESSES WERE SAYING THEY WANT GROW, BUT 81% OF THEM COULDN'T FIND THE TALENT THEY NEED.

SO KEY CAN'T -- WE HAVE TO KEEP JUST FRONT OF MIND THAT BUSINESSES HAVE TO HAVE THE TALENT.

AND WITH WOMEN FALLING OUT LIKE THEY ARE, WE HAVE GOT TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING TO GET THEM BACK.

AND WHEN WE LOOK AT CHILD CARE AVAILABILITY, AND HOPEFULLY SCHOOLERS GOING TO GET BACK IN.

THERE'S VACCINATIONS, THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT EVEN BEFORE COVID, WE HAD SO MANY CHILD CARE DESERTS IN OUR STATE THAT IT WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE SITUATIONS FOR MANY OF OUR COMMUNITIES.

NEARLY HALF OF OUR POPULATIONS LIVE IN CHILD CARE DESERTS WHERE THERE'S NO AVAILABLE CHILD CARE.

SO WE KNOW THAT SINCE COVID CAME, MANY OF THESE CHILD CARE CENTERS HAVE CLOSED.

AND SO THAT'S EVEN SCARIER BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A CRISIS AND WE KNOW THE VACCINES AND HOPEFULLY WE GET SCHOOLS BACK UP, HOW DO WE GET THESE CHILD CARE CENTERS BACK UP AND RUNNING?

AND EVEN BEFORE THAT WE KNEW THAT OUR KIDS, IF THEY WEREN'T QUITE CUTTING IT, WE GET OUR KINDERGARTNERS, OUR PRE-SCHOOLERS THAT GO INTO KINDERGARTEN.

51 OF THEM ARE NOT READY FOR SCHOOL JUST AS ABOUT THOMAS POINTED OUT.

WY THE TIME THEY GET TO THIRD AND FIFTH GRADE, THEY'RE NOT UP TO MATH AND SCIENCE LEVELS IN KENTUCKY THAT THEY NEED TO BE.

AND THAT CAUSES ALL KINDS OF LIFELONG LEARNING ISSUES AS THEY GO DOWN THE CONTINUES UM OF THE PIPELINE.

SO NOT ONLY IS IT A WORKFORCE ISSUE NOW, BUT IT'S A WORKFORCE ISSUE IN THE FUTURE, AND WE CANNOT FORGET THAT WE HAVE GOT TO HAVE WORKERS.

OUR STATE NEEDS WORKERS NOW.

THEY NEEDED THEM BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.

AND AS WE REBUILD, THE ONLY WAY TO REBUILD OUR ECONOMY IS THROUGH GETTING OUR WORKERS BACK, AND WOULDN'T DO THAT WITHOUT THE AVAILABLE CHILD CARE THAT WE NEED.

AND SO THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAVE GOT TO COME UP WITH SOME RESOURCES AND SOME CHANGES TOO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

>>ION LYONS, I'M SURE YOU'VE HEARD THIS TIME AND TIME AGAIN.

AS A WORKFORCE INNOVATION BOARD, INNOVATION BEING THE KEY WORD THERE, HOW CAN YOU GET THOSE WOMEN WHO HAVE BEEN DISPLACED AND CHOSEN TO LEAVE THE WORKFORCE BECAUSE OF THE ISSUES WE'VE DISCUSSED, HOW DO YOU GET THEM BACK IF THEY WANT TO COME BACK?

>> I THINK WE REALLY HAVE TO LOOK AT SOME OF THOSE FORCED INNOVATIONS.

COMPANIES LIKE GE TALKED ABOUT THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THEY HAVE COME UP WITH THAT WAS REALLY PROMPTED BY THE PANDEMIC, THAT FORCED THEM TO INNOVATE IN AREAS THEY INVITE OTHERWISE, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE CAN CREATE THOSE TYPE OF PROGRAMS, PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN PRIVATE AND PUBLIC TO CREATE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES, TREAT MORE FLEXIBLE HOURS, TO REALLY TRY TO CARAT TO THE WORKFORCE THAT NEEDS TO COME BACK.

ESPECIALLY WOMEN HAVE BEEN DISPROPORTIONATELY DISPLACED FROM THE WORKFORCE TO REALLY FIND WHAT THOSE BARRIERS ARE AND TO PROVIDE SOME SECLUSION FOR THEM.

I DON'T THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE ENTIRELY PROVIDED BY THE WORKFORCE OR BY PUBLIC PROGRAMS BUT COMBINING AND PARTNERS WITH THOSE.

>> AND I'LL TALKED TO ALLISON MARTIN IN JUST A MOMENT.

MARY GWEN WHEELER, I WANT TO ASK YOU WHEN YOU HEAR THAT AND KNOWING THAT I HAVE HAD THIS DECADES LONG EFFORT TO INCREASE EDUCATION CREDENTIALS THERE IN LOUISVILLE AND YOU HEAR THE NUMBERS OF WOMEN WHO ARE DISPLACED IN ITS WORKFORCE, IS THAT WHAT EVOLVE 502 IS ALSO TAKE SEEKING TO ADDRESS, THIS SOMEPLACEMENT OF CHILD CARE AND OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE FORCED THEM OUT OF LABOR FORCE TEM FLARE.

>> WHAT THIS HAS HIGHLIGHTED IS THE IMPORTANCE TO HAVE FLEXIBILITY, AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT AS TO IS ALSO IS DIGITAL DIVIDE AND HOW IN ORDER FOR PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE, WE NEED TO HAVE MUCH GREATER DIGITAL ACCESS AS WELL.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT EVOLVE 502 DID THIS SUMMER AND HAS CONTINUED WITH WHAT WE'RE CALLING LEARNING HUBS THROUGH THE FALL IS PRECISELY FOR THOSE FAMILIES THAT HAVE HAD TROUBLE WITH EITHER CHILD CARE OR PROVIDING A GOOD LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AT HOME, NOT HAVING EITHER THE DIGITAL ACCESS OR THE DEVICE OR THE SPACE EVEN TO BE ABLE TO DO A ZOOM WITHOUT LOTS OF THINGS GOING ON IN THE BACKGROUND.

HOW DO YOU DO THAT?

ONE WAY IS TO WORK WITH SOME OF THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT COULD OFFER SOME LEARNING SPACES.

AND EVOLVE 502 ENDED P COORDINATING.

IT'S A GOOD EXAMPLE WHEN YOU WORK ACROSS SECTORS THEY WERE ABLE TO PULL IN SOME OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH DOLLARS THAT PROVIDE THOSE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS WITH THE PPE AND THE OTHER KINDS OF SANITARY SUPPLIES NEEDED TO HAVE, SAFE MEETING PLACES FOR THE STUDENTS.

THEY WERE ALSO ABLE TO WORK WITH JCPS TO PROVIDE SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS SO THAT YOU COULD STAFF SOME OF THAT LEARNING HUB WORK.

SO I TOTALLY AGREE WITH REPRESENTATIVE WEBBER THAT GETTING KIDS IN SCHOOL IS REALLY A PRIORITY.

WE'RE SEEING THIS DIVIDE IN EQUITY GAPS BEING EXACERBATED DURING THIS PANDEMIC.

SO I THINK THOSE ARE THE KEYS THERE, ARE THERE KIND OF COLLABORATION AND PROVIDING FLEXIBILITY.

DIGITAL ACCESS WILL HELP WITH THAT, ALONG WITH THE CHILD CARE.

ALL OF THESE KINDS OF THINGS MATTER TO BE ABLE TO HELP FAMILIES WORK AND GET THE CURRENTS THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THEIR OWN FAMILIES.

>> REPRESENTATIVE WEBBER, I'M GOING TO COME TO YOU NOW IN FRANKFORT.

I WANTS YOU TO ADDRESS THE DIGITAL DIVIDE AND MAYBE PERHAPS THAT IS AN ISSUE THAT WILL COME BEFORE YOUR COMMITTEE BUT WE ALSO HAD THIS COMMENT FROM ALLISON SLONE WHO HAS BEEN ON THIS PROGRAM WHO IS A ROWAN COUNTY SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER, AND SHE ASKED ME TO ASK YOU HOW PEOPLE KNOW THAT STUDENTS ARE FALLING BEHIND IN READING AND MATH.

WHERE DID THAT DATA COME FROM.

ALSO, HOW WOULD YOU PROPOSE BOXES COVERED BY ENOUGH PEOPLE AS QUARANTINES OCCUR.

AND THERE ARE LITTLE TO NO SUBS.

IF YOU CAN TAKE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE FIRST AND THEN WE'LL MOVE INTO MS.

VACCINES QUESTION.

>> OKAY.

WELL, WE -- SLONE'S QUESTION.

>> WE'RE REACHING A POINT AS WE LOOK AT EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN THE STATE WHERE THIS IS GOING TO BE IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS, IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT THAT WE FILL THESE -- HOLD ON JUST A SECOND.

>> BLESS YOU.

>> CAN YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION ON THE DIGITAL DIVIDE?

>> SURE.

WE KNOW THAT THAT'S A BIG ISSUE, THAT ACCESS, EVEN HAVING THE SPACE AS MARY GWEN TALKED ABOUT.

ARE THERE ANY POLICIES THAT ARE -- PROPOSALS THAT ARE COMING PERHAPS TO YOUR COMMITTEE OR MAYBE IN ANOTHER THAT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY WILL TAKE UP TO HELP BRIDGE THOSE GAPS?

>> AT THIS TIME I'M NOT AWARE.

THERE MAY BE SOME THAT ARE BEING DEVELOPED, BUT NO ONE HAS APPROACHED ME ABOUT BRINGING THOSE BEFORE THE COMMITTEE.

>> SURE.

SO THIS QUESTION CAME IN RESPONSE TO A STATEMENT YOU MADE EARLIER.

IT PROMPTED THIS QUESTION FROM ALLISON SLONE WHO IS A ROUND COUNTY SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER AND INVOLVED WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF ED.

ASKING YOU HOW MANY PEOPLE KNOW THAT STUDENTS ARE FALLING BEHIND IN READING AND MATH?

WHERE DID THAT DATA COME FROM, SHE ASKED.

ALSO, HOW WOULD YOU PROPOSE POSITIONS BE COVERED BY PEOPLE AS QUARANTINES RECOVER AND THERE ARE NO OR LITTLE SUBS, SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS?

>> WELL, THE INFORMATION THAT I HAD RELAYED ABOUT THE STUDENTS FALLING BEHIND IN MATH AND READING CAME FROM A COURIER-JOURNAL ARTICLE THAT FOCUSED ON THE JEFFERSON COUNTY SCHOOLS BEING CLOSED NOR ALMOST A YEAR NOW -- FOR ALMOST A YEAR NOW TO IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION AND PRIMARILY DOING THE NTI.

SO THAT'S WHERE THAT INFORMATION CAME FROM.

WE'VE HAD TESTIMONY IN COMMITTEE AND I'VE HEARD LEGISLATORS WHO ARE ALSO EDUCATORS SAY THEY HAVE HAD UPWARD OF ONE-THIRD OF THEIR STUDENTS THAT DON'T PARTICIPATE IN THE NTI CLASSES THAT THEY OFFER.

AND SOME OF THEM, YOU KNOW, THEY'LL GO ENTIRE SEGMENTS OF TIME WITH ABSOLUTELY NO CONTACT.

YOU KNOW, I'VE TALKED TO FAMILIES AND I'VE TALKED TO STUDENTS ACROSS THE STATE, AND A LOT OF INSTRUCTORS, TEACHERS.

THEY WANT TO BE BACK IN THE CLASSROOM.

I'VE HAD CHILDREN TELL ME THAT WHILE NTI HAS WORKED TO A CERTAIN DEGREE, THERE'S NOTHING THAT'S GOING TO REPLACE THAT SETTING IN A CLASSROOM TEACHER AND AN INSTRUCTOR IS H. INSTRUCTOR THAT THEY KNOW THAT THEY'RE USED TO DEALING WITH.

AND THEY NEED THAT.

NEED THAT INTERACTION.

WHEN CHILDREN DON'T HAVE THAT INTERACTION WITH FELLOW STUDENTS AND WE HAVE SEEN THAT THE RATE OF PASSING COVID FROM CHILDREN ON TO ADULTS IS PRACTICALLY NIL, IT'S JUST NOT SOMETHING THAT THE HEALTH PROFESSIONALS HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED WILL HAPPEN, WE'RE THE IN PROCESS NOW OF OPENING UP THE VACCINATION.

I KNOW JEFFERSON COUNTY SCHOOLS ARE DOING THAT.

BULLITT COUNTY SCHOOLS ARE DOING THAT AS WELL.

SO WITH THE VACCINATION, WITH THE LOW TRANSFER RATE OF STUDENTS AND YOUNG PEOPLE, I THINK IT'S -- I THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO DO.

WE NEED TO PUSH FORWARD.

AND I GO BACK TO THE CDC AND DR. REDFIELD STATING ON THERE THAT SCHOOLS NEED TO BE OPEN.

THEY NEED TO BE OPEN FOR THE MENTAL HEALTH OF THE STUDENTS.

THAT'S IMPORTANT.

YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT A WHOLE MYRIAD OF THINGS 6 COMING DOWN FROM COVID YET WE DON'T TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT THAT IT HAS ON OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, AS I SAID, FROM A MENTAL HEALTH STATISTIC.

I READ RECENTLY THAT SCHOOLS HAVE REOPENED, I BELIEVE IT'S IN NEVADA, BECAUSE OF THE HIGH SUICIDE RATE AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE.

AND SO THOSE ARE ISSUES.

AND I DON'T FOR ONE MOMENT DOUBT THE SERIOUSNESS OF COVID.

IT'S VERY SERIOUS.

AND GREAT STRIDES HAVE BEEN MADE IN THIS STATE TO ADDRESS IT.

BUT LEADERSHIP REQUIRES YOU TO FUNCTION ACROSS THE BOARD AND MULTI-TASK.

AND WE CAN'T SHUT EVERYTHING DOWN IN THIS STATE SIMPLY BECAUSE ONE INDIVIDUAL WANTS TO DO THAT.

WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE WHOLE PICTURE.

>> THANK YOU, REPRESENTATIVE WEBBER.

WE ARE RUNNING SHORT OF TIME, AND I WANT TO GIVE DROP THOMPSON THE LAST WORD WHEN IT COMES TO WORKFORCE ISSUES.

COMMISSIONER GLASS HAS SAID HE WANTS SCHOOLS TO BE OPEN.

AIR LOT OF PEOPLE AGREE WITH THAT.

MAYBE EVENTUALLY WE'LL GET THERE IN FULL.

JUST A TAKEAWAY IN 20 SECONDS.

>> WE TALKED ABOUT QUANTITY.

WE TALKED ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS.

TWO WORDS I WANT YOU US TO REMEMBER AND THAT IS EQUITY AND QUALITY.

WE DO HAVE PEOPLE MAKING A CHOICE TO STAY AT HOME BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT ANOTHER PERSON IN THE HOUSEHOLD WORKING.

THAT MAKES SENSE.

BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE POOR, OF COLOR THAT DON'T HAVE THAT CHOICE.

SO AS WE LOOK AT ALL THESE THINGS, WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE DIGITAL DIVIDE OR QUALITY CHILD CARE, LET'S NOT FORGET THE MOST DISENFRANCHISED POPULATIONS WE HAVE TO WORK WITH.

>> GOOD WORDS TO END ON.

THANK ALL OF OUR PANELISTS NEAR AND FAR FOR BEING WITH US.

WE THANK YOU FOR WATCHING TONIGHT.

NEXT WEEK WE TALK WITH FRESHMAN LEGISLATORS ABOUT THE SESSION.

WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THEN.

TAKE CARE.