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SOAR, KCTCS launch nuclear energy workforce training program
PIKEVILLE, KY — Shaping Our Appalachian Region, in partnership with the Kentucky Community and Technical College System, has announced a new workforce training initiative designed to prepare Eastern Kentuckians for high-demand careers in the nuclear energy sector.
Through a newly signed Memorandum of Understanding, SOAR and KCTCS will establish a regional training pathway delivered through Workforce Solutions divisions at six colleges:
- Ashland Community and Technical College
- Big Sandy Community and Technical College
- Hazard Community and Technical College
- Maysville Community and Technical College
- Somerset Community College
- Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College
The program is supported by funding from the GitLab Foundation and the Kentucky Nuclear Energy Development Authority.
Building a Pathway into a Growing Industry
This initiative focuses on preparing individuals for nuclear outage work, a specialized field that supports scheduled maintenance, upgrades, and refueling at nuclear power plants across the country.
Nuclear outage work is planned, routine, and highly structured, requiring skilled workers to complete critical projects safely and efficiently.
Preparing Workers with Industry-Aligned Training
Through the six colleges’ Workforce Solutions divisions, participants will complete a 16-week, 240-hour training program designed to prepare them for high-demand industrial and energy roles.
The program requires 15 hours per week, delivered three days per week, five hours per day, allowing participants to build new skills while balancing other responsibilities.
Each day of training includes:
- Technical instruction
- Hands-on lab experience
- Career readiness and durable skills development
Participants will gain skills in:
- OSHA-10 safety and workplace standards
- Measurement, precision tools, and blueprint reading
- Mechanical systems and fluid power
- Electrical fundamentals and industrial systems
- Automation, PLCs, and troubleshooting
This training is designed to mirror the core technical competencies required on nuclear outage job sites and prepare participants to transition into employer-led training programs.
“This partnership with SOAR and KCTCS will help connect Kentuckians with opportunity,’ said Dr. Ryan Quarles, President of KCTCS. “By providing accessible, industry-aligned training through our six Appalachian region colleges, we’re preparing Eastern Kentuckians for careers in one of our fastest-growing energy sectors while providing employers the skilled workforce they
need.”
Expanding Opportunity Without Leaving Home Behind
SOAR has established partnerships with leading industry employers, including:
- Westinghouse Electric Company LLC
- WECTEC Staffing Services
- Framatome
- System One
Through these partnerships, more than 30 Eastern Kentuckians are currently working in nuclear outage roles across the country.
These opportunities offer:
- Competitive, often above-market wages
- Paid travel and per diem support
- Project-based work with time at home between assignments
“This is about creating a new pathway for Eastern Kentuckians,” said Dr. Reed Adkins, Executive Director of SOAR. “You don’t have to choose between staying here and building a career. This model allows you to do both.”
From Training to Employment
Upon completing the program, participants will be placed into SOAR’s Eastern Kentucky Talent Network, where they will receive:
- Priority access to hiring events
- Job opportunities through SOAR’s EKY Talent Network
- Ongoing support from client services and employer coordinators
This initiative builds on SOAR’s work to transition workers from industries such as coal into new, high-demand sectors by leveraging transferable skills and creating structured pathways to employment.
For more information, visit KCTCS Energy Training Program | Eastern Kentucky Talent Network.
The post SOAR, KCTCS launch nuclear energy workforce training program appeared first on Mountain Top Media.
Wise County woman sentenced for trafficking cocaine, mushrooms
ABINGDON, Va. — A Wise County, Va., woman has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for trafficking cocaine and psychedelic mushrooms.
Emily Dawn McCoy, 27, of Pound, pleaded guilty to distributing more than 500 grams of cocaine and psilocyn.
Federal prosecutors say McCoy sold cocaine and drugs to undercover members of the Southwest Virginia Multi-Jurisdictional Narcotics Task Force several times in 2024.
When investigators searched her home in September 2024, they say they found nearly two pounds of cocaine, psychedelic mushrooms, suspected marijuana, cannabis wax, a 9-millimeter handgun, ammunition, and what appeared to be a drug sales ledger.
The post Wise County woman sentenced for trafficking cocaine, mushrooms appeared first on Mountain Top Media.
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