Eastern Kentucky Employer Adds to Workforce with Help from One Up Internship Program
Less than a year after Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program (EKCEP) began its One Up internship program for college students or recent graduates, employers in the region are gaining new workers and interns are transitioning to full-time employment.
John Code was recently offered a full-time position with Grace Custom Signs in Pike County following a successful internship with EKCEP’s One Up program. (photo courtesy of Grace Custom Signs)
Sean Cochran is the owner of Grace Custom Signs, a full-service sign and print shop in Pikeville, Ky. He said his company was at a point where it was expanding when he first heard about One Up, and thought it might be a good fit to provide someone interested in working in his industry some onsite experience, and maybe result in a new hire for his company.
Taking on new employees and turnover can be expensive, Cochran said, but with One Up assisting with the screening process and providing additional support, it helped alleviate some of that up-front expense. EKCEP’s program funding also covers the intern’s pay during the course of the internship period while he or she gains valuable experience on the job site.
“As a business, that takes a lot of the burden off of us,” Cochran said.
One Up is available to college students and recent college graduates within the 23-county service area of Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program (EKCEP). The program considers participants’ career interests and actively works to pair them with host employers in their career field of choice.
One Up also provides real-world learning opportunities that could transition to full-time employment. Since its inception in summer 2021, nearly 80 people have applied for One Up internships with 12 participating employers in the region.
Pike Countian John Code applied for a One Up internship in fall 2021, and shortly after received an internship at Cochran’s company, where he began working within a new industry and learning new skills at the same time. By the end of the internship period, Cochran said he was happy to offer Code full-time employment, which he accepted.
“We were extremely fortunate with John that when he came on board the first time, we felt like we got a fantastic employee,” he said.
“I am grateful and excited for the opportunity to be working at Grace Custom Signs,” Code added. “I am looking forward to continuing to learn new skills and personally expand my professional abilities.”
One Up also provided an ease of use that was beneficial, Cochran said, including staff members who were able to assist with questions or processes along the way.
“Everything’s been geared toward making the process as easy on us as it could be,” he explained. “I’m absolutely 100 percent satisfied.”
If you’re an employer in EKCEP’s 23-county service area interested in hosting a One Up internship, apply online at ekcep.org/oneupform.
If you’re a college student or recent graduate interested in applying for a paid internship through One Up, apply online at ekcep.org/one-up.
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.
