Career Services at Kentucky Career Center JobSight in Harlan County Help Karl Creech Get Back to Work

Karl Creech

Karl Creech was looking for a new job in 2023 when he contacted Harlan County Community Action Agency for assistance in his job search. As a partner in the Kentucky Career Center JobSight network, Harlan CAA provides services to job seekers to help them get to work, and it didn’t take long before he realized the staff there would be able to help him, too.

Before Creech found his way to the career center, he was an employee at a local meat packing facility. His role as a line leader involved managing tasks in the warehouse, operating various machinery, and overseeing a significant portion of inventory. But when he realized a career there wasn’t a right fit, he began looking for work elsewhere.

“I really needed a job to provide for my family,” Creech said. “I’ve got a wife and two kids at home, and I’m not going to let them starve just because I don’t have a job.”

Creech said he put in more than a dozen applications with other employers. Having heard positive feedback through word of mouth about the career center in Harlan, he said he was determined to explore the opportunities that might be available there, too. It was there that he began working with Teleworks USA Career Advisor Kay Boggs, who helped him develop a career plan and played a pivotal role in reshaping Creech’s professional trajectory. 

Harlan County Community Action Agency provides Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) services in Harlan County under contract with Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program (EKCEP). Those services include programs for adults, dislocated workers, and youth between the ages of 18 and 24 who may need assistance honing skills such as résumé building or networking with local employers, or who need assistance being retrained or going to school. 

Initially exploring opportunities with teleworking, Creech found that working from home wasn't perfect for him. The turning point in his search for a new job came when Boggs introduced him to WIOA Career Advisor Beth Edwards, who worked closely with Creech and connected him with a work experience opportunity at the local animal shelter, where he would be able to gain experience with a different employer for a few weeks while the career center covered his wages. Edwards also approved funding to cover transportation costs and purchased clothing and boots for Creech that he would need during the course of his work experience.

At the shelter, Creech immersed himself in a world of compassion and care at the shelter. He learned the ins and outs of the facility—from cleaning kennels to assisting with the well-being of the animals. The experience extended to administrative tasks, as he became adept at handling adoption and surrender forms. He even participated in ride-alongs, gaining an understanding of the responsibilities involved. 

“It has been a great experience because you go from having nothing to having people that actually care to help,” Creech said. “It makes you feel good.” 

For Creech, the Harlan career center became more than just a steppingstone—it became a lifeline for him professionally. Having faced challenges in his upbringing and overcoming obstacles on his own, the center provided the support system he needed. Beyond professional assistance, Creech highlighted the personal touch, the calls and check-ins that reinforced the sense of community and care. 

Creech has since transitioned to a full-time position at the shelter, and said anyone looking for a new job like he was should at least contact their local Kentucky Career Center JobSight to see if the services there might be right for them.

“They helped me out every step they could, and there are even times they have called and checked on me,” he said. “It is a great place to come to, especially if you want help.” 

If you’re in Eastern Kentucky and interested in applying for career and employment services, visit jobsight.org/locations to find your nearest Kentucky Career Center JobSight and contact a career advisor to get started.  

EKCEP, a nonprofit workforce development agency headquartered in Hazard, Ky., serves the citizens of 23 Appalachian coalfield counties. The agency provides an array of workforce development services and operates the Kentucky Career Center JobSight network of workforce centers, which provide access to more than a dozen state and federal programs that offer employment and training assistance for jobseekers and employers all under one roof. Learn more about us at http://www.ekcep.org, http://www.jobsight.org and http://www.facebook.com/ekcep.