Henderson Community College has been awarded ab $86,000 grant to help people start or advance coal mining careers.
HCC is one of only 20 community colleges across the country, and the only one in Kentucky, to be awarded grants through the Wal-Mart Workforce Opportunity Initiative.
HCC won funding over two years for its new Rural Kentucky Mining Initiative, which will provide "a career ladder approach" for coal miners, according to Pamala Wilson, dean of community and economic development.
Already, there are free adult education programs in every county in the state to help people who don't have their high school degree. But HCC's program will help people pay for taking the GED test, Wilson said.
It also will provide financial assistance, on an as-needed basis, to people wanting to take the 40-hour underground mining class that is required before would-be miners take a test to get their miner's card. HCC normally charges $180 for the class.
The program also will help existing miners advance in their careers, such as by helping them pay for getting two-year college degrees in fields such as industrial maintenance, mining technology at Madisonville Community and Technical College or electrical technology.
"Anyone in the mines who wants to get an associate's degree can apply for financial aid," Wilson said.
And the program will pay to hire substitute teachers to allow high school teachers time off to visit with coal mine representatives to learn about the career opportunities becoming available in the area's growing mining industry.
"We're looking to work in the mining industry from entry level to associate's or bachelor's degree," Wilson said.
The program will be available to residents of Henderson, Union, Webster and Ohio counties.
"We are hoping to get a part-time person hired by middle of November (to stafff the program) and get off and running probably the first of the year," Wilson said.
The Wal-Mart Foundation provided $2.5 million in funds to help community colleges develop work forces and improve economic conditions, especially in under-resourced and rural counties.
Colleges were selected through a competitive process by the American Association of Community Colleges.
