Building Workforce Connections Across Kentucky’s Industries
In 2018, the Kentucky Chamber Foundation launched a statewide initiative to build efficient talent pipelines using the TPM framework. In collaboration with the Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet, the goal was to establish 20 employer collaboratives to fill 60 critical jobs in two years. After achieving this, the Kentucky Chamber Foundation raised the goal to 25 collaboratives, focusing on key industries in the Commonwealth. Using her experience in the equine industry, including her previous employment at the Kentucky Horse Park, Mays managed and facilitated collaborations in the agriculture and equine sectors to bridge the skilled workforce gap.
The equine industry plays a significant role in Kentucky’s economy, accounting for $6.5 billion in direct and indirect economic activity and roughly 61,000 jobs. However the Kentucky Chamber found, the equine industry faced labor shortages due to decreasing awareness and interest in local employment opportunities. In response, the Kentucky Chamber Foundation partnered with the Kentucky Equine Education Project to start equine employer collaboratives, with Mays facilitating. After connecting with an existing equine training program at a state prison, the equine collaboratives adopted a fair chance hiring approach to sourcing their talent. Qualified inmates participated in an eight-month training program to prepare them to work in the equine industry.
Mays also led the development of the Workforce Readiness and Reentry Program at Blackburn Correctional Facility to provide program participants with career coaching services. As employers grew interested in the program, Mays developed a line of communication between Blackburn and the industry to ensure that talent was equipped with the necessary skills to succeed in equine roles and that employers knew when talent was available.
Additionally, Mays played a pivotal role in developing and facilitating the Kentucky Chamber Foundation’s hiring academies. These academies were established to respond to employer feedback directly gathered through the Kentucky Chamber Foundation’s TPM work. The need for targeted educational programming became apparent as employers identified specific talent recruitment and retention barriers, particularly around fair chance hiring and workforce readiness. In response, the Kentucky Chamber Foundation launched initiatives like the Fair Chance Academy, which provides employers with tools and training to support individuals reentering the workforce following incarceration or recovery from substance use disorder. According to the Kentucky Chamber Foundation’s 2024 Impact Report, 146 employers were trained, resulting in 115 fair chance hires in this space alone. Mays’s ability to translate employer needs into strategic programming has helped build stronger, broader talent pipelines across the Commonwealth, which is seen throughout the Kentucky Chamber Foundation’s four hiring academy programs.
Mays said, “Because of the success of TPM in the equine space in the first several years, the opportunity to expand more broadly into agriculture emerged.” Employers from the agriculture industry saw the impact of TPM and wanted to be part of the initiative. This increased engagement led to Mays’s transition to a full-time role with the Kentucky Chamber Foundation to lead this expanded effort that now includes all facets of agriculture.
Mays credits her success in her agricultural work to her diverse background and experiences. In January 2024, Mays was selected to participate in the Kentucky Agriculture Leadership Program. This 18-month program identifies up-and-coming agriculture professionals and prepares them to support the growth of the agriculture industry in the state. Mays’s industry expertise, background in education, and experience working with employers and business-facing organizations have positioned her to share a nuanced and informed perspective with her colleagues in the program.
Mays’s experiences continue to lead to more opportunities. She was recently asked to oversee a new collaborative focused on early childhood education because of her background as an agriculture teacher and her work with early career exploration in agriculture. This initiative has convened subject matter experts and more than 40 stakeholders from across the state to identify existing barriers and solutions to the state’s early childcare struggles.
Using the TPM framework and her myriad experiences, Mays has found success as a “connector.” Whether bridging the gap between employers and opportunity populations or sharing her workforce development experience with agriculture professionals, Mays is the glue that fosters effective partnerships. Reflecting on her work, Mays shared, “I am very passionate about it, and it has been a great way to combine not only my experiences but my passions, which leads to finding joy in my work.”
