Webster and Union counties applied jointly for $472,000 to purchase property for the Western Kentucky Regional Training Center. In collaboration with Madisonville Community College, the facility will train students as utility linemen and diesel mechanics and help them obtain a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL).
The former administrative offices at the Dotiki Mine, which closed in 2019 and has remained unused since, will house the training center. The recipients will use former mine land to train dislocated coal miners for new careers as the community readjusts following mine closures and job loss in the industry.
Webster County Judge/Executive Steve Henry and Union County Judge/Executive Adam O’Nan discussed the importance of this project for the future of the region.
“The announcement of the CDBG funding for this training center is historic for Webster County,” Henry said. “The opportunity to help build a skilled workforce is one the best investments that we can make in our communities. I want to thank Gov. Beshear and his administration for recognizing the significance of this project and securing the funds to make this a reality for Western Kentucky.”
“Union County is thrilled to partner with Webster County and Madisonville Community College to create the Western Kentucky Regional Training Center (WKRTC),” O’Nan added. “The WKRTC will provide skilled training programs for students interested in very high demand career paths. We are honored to be a part of this regional effort to strengthen Western Kentucky’s workforce. We are grateful to the Department for Local Government for investing in our project and helping to make it a reality.”
Madisonville Community College President Cindy Kelley said that the training center will help foster economic growth throughout Western Kentucky.
“The development of this regional training center is the result of area leaders who value partnerships and are willing to work together to provide opportunities for economic growth for the community,” Kelley said. “With the programs we can offer at this new facility, the college will be positioned to train students for good paying jobs that will lead to a better life. This partnership also brings life back to the Dotiki mine facility, which has served this community well. Its legacy will continue as a center for training and education.”
Webster and Union counties were also awarded more than $350,000 from the Delta Regional Authority for this project, making the total funding for this project more than $800,000.
