The Lexington City Council is considering spending $300,000 for an initiative aimed at increasing the workforce pipeline. Phase one of the plan addresses nursing needs in the community.
It’s called “Accelerate Lexington,” and the workforce related program is being explored through efforts of Commerce Lexington. It’s a public-private partnership with area health care providers making monetary commitments as well. Lexington Budget Committee Chair Amanda Mays Bledsoe said the focus is on certified nursing assistants “What we see now is that hospitals are taking CNA’s and moving them and training them to become actual nurses and then we don’t backfill them quickly enough. And so, we don’t have that pipeline in the healthcare industry for CNA’s,” said Mays Bledsoe.
Bluegrass Community and Technical College would provide training for 30 certified nursing assistants. The city’s financial commitment would be $250,000. The other $50,000 would go to further a new regional economic development initiative involving nine central Kentucky counties including Fayette.
