Preparing Eastern Kentuckians for meaningful careers through personalized job-readiness training, mentorship, and long-term support.
Building confidence, skills, and a meaningful career can change everything, no matter your story.
The Eastern Kentucky Runway Program helps people who are ready for a new start. We support them where they are, guide them toward the careers and lives they want, and walk with them every step of the way to meaningful, stable work that fits their goals. We believe when one person finds hope and stability, it can change families, communities, and our region for generations.
EKY Runway’s Impact in Action
Don’t just take our word for it, the numbers tell the story.
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Personalized Coaching & Mentorship Sessions
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New Wages Earned by EKY Runway Participants
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People Impacted Through EKY Runway Programs
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Training and Certification Milestones Achieved
Real People, Real Problems, Real Potential
Many people who live in Eastern Kentucky make up what’s called the prime-age employment gap. They’re at the age when many of their peers in the United States are holding a stable job, but they aren’t yet for a variety of reasons. They may be:
Going through the recovery process
Paying large amounts of college debt
Single parents caring for dependents
Working a low-wage job with no opportunities
Paying for healthcare out of pocket
Many of the clients we serve don’t have access to the training or tools needed to rejoin the modern workforce. Some have never written a resume or filled out an online job application. Others are simply trying to navigate a new stage of life like learning how to balance bills, childcare, transportation, and housing. All while trying to move forward.
Navigating the Journey Together
The Eastern Kentucky Runway Program is a job readiness program for Eastern Kentuckians who are ready to make a change and willing to work for it. The program follows a three-step process:
Applicants fill out our online form. One of our team members will follow up by phone and email. They’ll take the time to learn their story: their strengths, fears, hopes, and plans for their future.
We’ll then match the client with a personal empowerment coach and a peer mentor. These are real people from right here in Eastern Kentucky who’ve walked similar roads themselves or with others. The client has direct access to their phone numbers and emails, so they can reach out anytime for support.
Together, they’ll walk alongside clients, helping identify skills, passions, and goals. They’ll build a personalized career plan that fits the client’s strengths and timeline. They’ll be a guide and support system every step of the way.
Removing Barriers and Building Confidence
Once the client’s unique career plan is set, they’ll begin putting it into action with the help of their Eastern Kentucky Runway Program support system. We’ll invest in the client’s success through stability services, wraparound support, and training designed to remove obstacles and open doors.
Personalized career plans include things like:
- Career coaching and mentoring to explore interests and strengths.
- Digital training through our Appalachian Digital Career Academy.
- Technical training through community partners.
- Job connections through the Eastern Kentucky Talent Network.
Each person’s journey looks a little different. For some, it means access to childcare or transportation. For others, it means help with family needs, business planning, or technical training. Whatever the need, our goal is the same: To help people build a career and a life that lasts.
Not Just a Program: A Long-Term Partner
A client’s journey doesn’t end after getting a job, and neither does our commitment to them. We’ll continue supporting clients over the next year, making sure they have access to everything they need to keep moving forward.
This long-term, relationship-based approach is how we drive real sustainability.
Rather than offering short-term services with an end date, we walk alongside our clients as their needs evolve, helping them stay employed, grow in their careers, and weather life’s inevitable challenges.
Because when people are supported over time, they find stability, confidence, and purpose.