Special Initiatives
Louisville Forward’s Department of Economic Development works with several local government agencies and community organizations to support key workforce initiatives that improve our pipeline of available workforce for residents and businesses looking to relocate to or expand in Louisville.
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LouTechWorks is a collaborative effort aimed at
radically scaling a tech talent pipeline to
connect skilled workers with the jobs of the
future. Partners include Louisville’s K-12
system, local and regional institutions of higher
education, nonprofit organizations, and
employers from across all of our business
clusters
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Code Louisville is a public–private partnership
program with the aim of training software
developers to bolster technological innovation
in the region. More than 1,000 participants
have graduated from the program which involves
in-person mentorships with experienced industry
professionals and includes an online learning
curriculum.
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SummerWorks develops Louisville’s young
talent by helping prepare and connect youth
to summer jobs, career opportunities, and
supportive networks. In 2018, SummerWorks
staff directly placed more than 1,000 teens
and young adults in jobs, and 6,200 youth
overall were employed by the program’s
partner employers.
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Tech Louisville, a new program by
KentuckianaWorks in partnership with AMPED,
prepares people locally to become IT Support
professionals. The program is offered at no cost
to participants and incorporates classroom and
online learning as well as mentorship with an
experienced pro while participants earn their
Google IT Support Professional Certificate.
Participants must meet program requirements.
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To radically scale Louisville’s IT pipeline, KentuckianaWorks and Jefferson Community
& Technical College worked to develop an
apprentice-style program. This unique program
uses the same operational framework as
KYFAME but focuses on IT education.
Students in bit502 work four days at a local
employer and go to school one day a week
to earn their associate degree debt free.
GE Appliances, Waystar, El Toro, and Texas
Roadhouse are among some of the program’s
best supporters and advocates.
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As an immediate response to the COVID-19
pandemic, this initiative brought free virtual
programs to Louisville residents to build
valuable skills and credentials in specific,
employer-vetted digital career tracks, including
data analytics, digital marketing, software
engineering, & user experience design. Through
continued partnerships with businesses and tech
training companies, Future of Work is providing
Louisvillians with access to more in-depth courses.
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