Harlan Countian Kimberly Begley Kicks Off New Career Following EKCEP Internship with Colonial Claims

Kimberly Begley had spent nearly a decade working in Harlan County’s tourism industry. It was a job that she enjoyed, but by the spring of 2021 she was ready for a change.

Kimberly Begley

That was also when she came across an online flyer advertising a new internship opportunity for eligible Eastern Kentucky residents in which they could train to enter the insurance industry. It seemed like a good chance for a fresh start.  

“I was on Facebook and saw a post [for the internship], and I thought, I’m going to try this,” Begley says.  

The opportunity was a new partnership between Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program (EKCEP) and Colonial Claims, one of America’s largest independent insurance claims service companies, that would ultimately prepare a first cohort of Eastern Kentuckians to become insurance claims examiners at no cost to them. And for those who successfully completed the internship and earned all certifications, Colonial Claims could extend an offer of full-time employment.

Begley followed a link on the post and submitted an online application for what would turn out to be a six-month program. She eventually received a call and was invited to participate, and just a couple of weeks later began the remote-work internship, led by experts with Colonial Claims.  

The internship would provide all the training Begley and her fellow interns needed to prepare for the different certifications allowing them to work in the industry. In addition to support with initial recruitment and screening internship applicants for eligibility, EKCEP also provided a weekly stipend of $400. Begley says that money helped alleviate one of her biggest concerns, namely the cost of daycare for her children during the course of the training.

“That was one of my biggest issues before, was the cost of daycare,” Begley says. “I have a toddler and so I was afraid I wasn’t going to be able to do it. After they said they were going to [provide the stipend], then I got her into daycare. I wanted to put my all into it, and it would have been difficult with her at home with me to do that.” 

Begley began the training in late spring 2021 and a few months later the internship not only prepared her for certification exams, but also to begin tackling the work of a claims adjuster, which she did after receiving an immediate offer of employment with Colonial Claims upon earning those certifications.  

Fast forward to the summer of 2022, and Begley is continuing her work with Colonial as a work-from-home claims examiner, and remains eager to learn more.  

“There was a lot of study we had to do, and we still do a lot of study and we shadow with other people,” she says. “Because you’re always going to be learning something new.” 

Begley says the work-from-home component of the job is a benefit on its own, including being able to work in Harlan County and not having to move to find employment. For the first time in her working career she is earning benefits including healthcare and dental insurance. And her days keep her busy with work for a company that she says provides a great atmosphere for employees.

“They’re like a family, you know,” Begley says. “I really like that because they’re always there to help you and answer any questions you have.” 

While Colonial and EKCEP are preparing a second cohort to begin training in late summer 2022, Begley says she would tell anyone on the fence about whether to apply for the internship to go for it. There’s room for advancement in this industry, she adds, especially if you’re willing to put in the work. 

“I feel like, honestly, it’s a life-changing experience because you can keep moving up,” she says. “It’s how much work you want to put into it, so if you keep working on yourself and learning then you can just keep going, and that’s what I liked about it.” 

If you’re interested in applying for the 2022 Colonial Claims internship, visit ekcep.org/colonial and fill out an online application.  

“I just feel like that's an awesome opportunity,” Begley says. “I would hate for anybody to pass that up because it has been an amazing experience all the way around for me.” 

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.