EKCEP

What EKCEP does

EKCEP (Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program, Inc.) is a nonprofit workforce development agency headquartered in Hazard, Kentucky, founded in 1965 as part of the national Concentrated Employment Program initiative. It operates the Kentucky Career Center JobSight network across 23 Appalachian coalfield counties in Eastern Kentucky, delivering career counseling, training programs, job placement, and employer recruitment services through a combination of physical career centers (operated via contracted Community Action agencies), partner-organization locations, and virtual channels including the Career EDGE web platform and Teleworks USA remote work program. Its service portfolio is organized around distinct population segments: dislocated coal miners (H.O.M.E., Community Impact), individuals in recovery from opioid addiction (SITE, eKART), justice-involved reentrants (Project REACH), youth and young adults (Prosper Appalachia, TechHire/TEKY cybersecurity training), and remote-work seekers (Teleworks USA).

The organization's underlying technology stack is modest and human-services-led rather than product-led. Career EDGE is a web-based virtual career services platform offering 18 interactive modules — including a job interview simulator, resume and application builder, personal branding guidance, and life skills curriculum — accessible via smart device. Teleworks USA operates hub locations connecting job seekers with work-from-home positions from national and global companies such as Concentrix and Colonial Claims. There is no evidence of proprietary AI/ML, mobile applications, or API/SDK surface.

EKCEP's revenue model is grant-funded nonprofit operations. Primary funding sources are federal and state workforce grants — Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funds administered through the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet, National Emergency Grants and National Dislocated Worker Grants from the U.S. Department of Labor, Appalachian Regional Commission POWER grants, Kentucky Opioid Response Effort (KORE) funding, and Kentucky Opioid Abatement Funds. Secondary revenue comes from tax-deductible donations (suggested at $10–$500 or custom amounts). All services to job seekers and employers are provided free of charge. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors and the 24-member volunteer Eastern Kentucky Workforce Innovation Board (EKWIB), currently chaired by Keith Gabbard. Its go-to-market is community- and event-driven: multi-employer job fairs, National Apprenticeship Week events, community partner referrals (drug courts, treatment centers, Community Action agencies), and a multi-channel digital presence including website, email newsletter, Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

Name

EKCEP

Legal name

Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program, Inc.

Website

https://ekcep.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

EKCEP is a nonprofit workforce development agency operating the Kentucky Career Center JobSight network across 23 Appalachian coalfield counties in Eastern Kentucky, delivering free career counseling, training, and job placement services to job seekers, youth, recovery populations, and employers, funded primarily through federal and state grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workforce Development Services

NAICS

Employment Placement Agencies (561311), Employment Services (5613), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Workforce Development Programs (WIOA/One-Stop Career Centers) (EDAAAOAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Workforce & Job-Seeker Services (Community-Based) (EDAAAFAM), Job Placement, Matching & Career Navigation Services (EDAAAOAL)

Keywords

• Workforce development services
• Career counseling training
• Job placement assistance
• Youth employment programs
• Employer recruitment services

Headquarters

HQ city

Hazard

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding: EKCEP operates as a nonprofit workforce development agency funded primarily through federal and state grants including Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funds, National Emergency Grants from the U.S. Department of Labor, Kentucky Opioid Response Effort (KORE) funding, Appalachian Regional Commission POWER funds, and other government workforce development allocations.
2. Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals, businesses, and foundations supporting career training, job placement services, and employment support programs for Eastern Kentuckians.
3. ReWork EKY Program: Funded through a $2.4 million National Dislocated Worker Grant from U.S. Department of Labor to help workers displaced by COVID-19 find new employment or retraining, administered as part of EKCEP's service area.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

EKCEP is a nonprofit workforce development agency that delivers employment training, career counseling, and job placement services across 23 Eastern Kentucky Appalachian coalfield counties. The organization operates the Kentucky Career Center JobSight network, providing job seekers with career counseling, occupational training, on-the-job experiences, and supportive services, while also helping employers with recruitment, training subsidies, and wage support programs. Specialized services target underserved populations including dislocated coal miners, individuals in recovery from opioid addiction, justice-involved reentrants, and opportunity youth.

Product overview

EKCEP operates as a single unified workforce development agency offering an integrated network of employment and training services. The core offering is the Kentucky Career Center JobSight network, which provides access to multiple state and federal programs. Supporting programs include job seeker support, youth programs (Prosper Appalachia), recovery and reentry services (SITE, eKART), and employer services. Specialized initiatives include H.O.M.E. for dislocated coal miners, ReWork EKY for COVID-affected workers, Teleworks USA for remote work, and TechHire for cybersecurity training. The Career EDGE platform delivers virtual career services. These programs work together to serve job seekers, employers, and communities across Eastern Kentucky's 23 Appalachian coalfield counties.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Kentucky Career Center JobSight Network A network of workforce centers providing access to more than a dozen state and federal employment and training programs for job seekers and employers across 23 Eastern Kentucky counties.
• Job Seeker Support Services Personalized career counseling, training programs, and on-the-job experiences that help job seekers build careers, delivered free of charge to eligible individuals through JobSight career centers.
• Teleworks USA Remote work training and job placement service that identifies and develops legitimate work-from-home opportunities with national and global companies, including hub locations across Eastern Kentucky.
• Youth and Young Adult Programs (Prosper Appalachia) Resources, training, and hands-on experiences including the Prosper Appalachia initiative that help high school students and young adults ages 16-24 explore careers, participate in internships, and secure work-based learning placements.
• Recovery and Reentry Services Job placement, skills training, and support for individuals in recovery or reentering the workforce, encompassing the SITE (Strategic Initiative for Transformational Employment) and eKART (Eastern Kentucky Addiction Recovery and Training) programs.
• Employers and Partners Services (Business Solutions) Recruitment, training, and wage support programs including Business Solutions to help employers grow with local talent, delivered free of charge to businesses in Eastern Kentucky.
• H.O.M.E. (Hiring Our Miners Everyday) Program helping former coal industry workers and their spouses discover new career options, covering costs for classroom training and placing them into subsidized on-the-job training positions across advanced manufacturing, CDL trucking, utilities, and other industries.
• ReWork EKY Program helping Eastern Kentuckians affected by COVID-19 layoffs connect with training or new job opportunities, emphasizing virtual career counseling, remote work, and online training.
• TechHire Eastern Kentucky (TEKY) White House-designated tech workforce development initiative offering cybersecurity training and CompTIA certification preparation for Eastern Kentucky high school students and adults.
• Career EDGE Web-based virtual career services platform with 18 interactive modules including a job interview simulator, resume and job application builder, personal branding guidance, and essential life skills curriculum, accessible via smart device.
• eKART (Eastern Kentucky Addiction Recovery and Training) Initiative that works with local drug courts and agencies to bridge recovery and workforce participation by providing career, training, and supportive services while cultivating second-chance job opportunities.
• Community Impact Program Assists workers and spouses whose careers were impacted by the coal industry decline but who did not work directly in coal-related careers, covering tuition and supportive services for advanced manufacturing training.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,693 youth placed in regional jobs through Prosper Appalachia
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• One East KentuckycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2020Partnership for EKYWorks 2.0 workforce assessment covering 27 counties. One East Kentucky leads regional economic development efforts while EKCEP provides workforce data and employer engagement for the comprehensive workforce study.
• SOAR (Shaping Our Appalachian Region)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2020Partnership for EKYWorks 2.0 workforce assessment and broader economic development initiatives. SOAR serves as a key partner in workforce development and diversification efforts for Eastern Kentucky.
• Kentucky Power CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2020Partnership supporting EKYWorks 2.0 workforce study and broader workforce development initiatives in Eastern Kentucky. Kentucky Power has been a supporter of workforce studies since 2016.
• Ashland AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2020Regional economic development partner supporting EKYWorks 2.0 workforce assessment and industry recruitment efforts for Eastern Kentucky.
• University of the CumberlandscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 May 2020Partnership to offer free cybersecurity classes for Eastern Kentucky high school students. University provides online computer science courses (ITSC 230 Information Security, ITSI 331 Networking) with EKCEP covering program costs for students. Classes prepare students for CompTIA certification exams for entry-level cybersecurity careers.
• eKAMI (East Kentucky Advanced Manufacturing Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnereKAMI provides advanced manufacturing training including CNC machining, robotics, and fabrication skills. EKCEP covers tuition and supportive services for eligible workers through programs like Community Impact and HOME. Located in Johnson County, eKAMI has graduated hundreds of workers into advanced manufacturing careers.
• Kentucky Education and Workforce Development CabinetcoreOthersState agency partner providing Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funding and workforce development programs. EKCEP operates as a sub-recipient and administrator of workforce services under state cabinet direction.
• Kentucky Career Center JobSight Network PartnerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of Community Action agencies providing workforce services under EKCEP contract: Bell-Whitley CAA (Bell), Big Sandy Area CAP (Floyd, Johnson, Magoffin, Martin, Pike), Daniel Boone CAA (Clay, Jackson), Gateway CA (Menifee, Morgan), Harlan CAA (Harlan), KCEOC CAP (Knox), LKLP CAC (Knott, Leslie, Letcher, Perry), Middle Kentucky CAP (Breathitt, Lee, Owsley, Wolfe), Northeast Kentucky CAP (Carter, Elliott, Lawrence).
• Teleworks USAcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerInitiative of EKCEP that identifies and develops remote work opportunities with national and global companies. Program includes hub locations and virtual services preparing workers for work-from-home positions.
• Colonial ClaimsmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerInsurance claims company partnered with EKCEP and Teleworks USA to provide training and employment opportunities for Eastern Kentucky residents in remote work positions.
• Pikeville Medical CentermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare career pathways partnership adding opportunities for EKCEP clients to enter healthcare careers at Pikeville Medical Center.
• Kentucky River Community Care (KRCC)majorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHealthcare provider offering peer support positions for individuals in recovery, working with eKART program to provide employment opportunities and career pathways.
• Addiction Recovery Care (ARC)majorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTreatment provider partnering with eKART to offer employment opportunities and community liaison positions for individuals completing addiction recovery programs.
• Chad's HopemajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFaith-based residential recovery program in Manchester, KY partnering with eKART to provide vocational training including welding certification for men in recovery.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• ManpowerGroup: Global staffing and workforce solutions provider offering placement, training, and career transition services. While Manpower is for-profit and operates at vastly larger scale, its staffing/placement model overlaps with EKCEP's job matching and employer services.
• Kentucky Career Center (state network): State-operated umbrella network of career centers across Kentucky. EKCEP is the local operator of the JobSight branding within this network, making it a direct sub-unit while also a peer for any other Local Workforce Development Area administrator in Kentucky.

Direct peers

• Year Up: National nonprofit providing workforce training, professional skills development, and job placement for young adults from low-income communities. Comparable in serving opportunity youth through structured training-to-employment pathways with employer partnerships.
• Per Scholas: National nonprofit providing tuition-free tech training (IT, cybersecurity) and job placement services for adults from underserved communities. Closely aligned with EKCEP's TechHire/TEKY cybersecurity and IT certification offerings and overall mission-driven workforce model.
• Shaping Our Appalachian Region (SOAR): Eastern Kentucky-focused regional economic development organization partnering with EKCEP on workforce assessments and diversification initiatives. Operates in the same geographic footprint with overlapping employer engagement and policy goals.
• One East Kentucky: Regional economic development partnership covering multiple Eastern Kentucky counties. Directly partners with EKCEP on EKYWorks workforce assessment and employer recruitment, sharing a regional focus on coal-impacted workforce and employer engagement.
• Goodwill Industries International: Nonprofit operator of workforce development, job training, and placement services for underserved populations including people with disabilities, criminal records, and recovery populations. Operates community-based career centers comparable to EKCEP's JobSight network and shares the mission-driven nonprofit workforce model.

Others

• National Skills Coalition: National advocacy and policy organization focused on workforce skills, employer partnerships, and equitable access to training. Comparable to EKCEP in mission around workforce development for underserved populations, though operating at the federal policy/advocacy layer rather than direct service.
• Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC): Federal economic development agency funding EKCEP's POWER Initiative grants. Functions as a key financial partner rather than direct competitor, but its overall workforce and economic development mission makes ARC an adjacent ecosystem actor for comparison.
• National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP): National membership association for workforce development professionals where EKCEP's Executive Director sits on the Board of Directors. Functions as the industry association and peer network for EKCEP and similar Local Workforce Development Board operators.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/EKCEP
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@EKCEP
• Facebookfacebook.com/EKCEP
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ekcep-inc.
• Instagraminstagram.com/easternkycep

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about EKCEP