Two workforce development initiatives in western Kentucky have been awarded funding from the Delta Regional Authority, Gov. Andy Beshear said.

The projects will expand on-the-job training and create more well-trained workers in critical industries in the region, Beshear said in a statement.

The Green River Area Development District received $150,000 for a program that supports the Kentucky Rural Water Association’s Registered Apprenticeship Program, the statement said. It aims to increase the number of qualified water and wastewater systems operation specialists through instruction and hands-on training.

The West Kentucky Community and Technical College received $106,580 for an initiative that seeks to offset a nursing shortage. The accelerated program pairs online coursework with a simulation lab and allows licensed practical nurses to become registered nurses in as little as a year, the statement said.
“These two programs will help fill vacancies in important industries and will build an even stronger workforce in Western Kentucky,” Beshear said.