FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56) — Applications are open for the second annual Fair Chance Academy, hosted by the Kentucky Chamber Foundation. The program shows business leaders how to create a better environment for workers in need of a fresh start.
Kentuckians recovering from an addiction or re-entering the workforce after a stint in jail are often overlooked by hiring managers. As a result, chamber leaders say bluegrass business owners are missing out on all that untapped talent.
The Fair Chance Academy teaches businesses how to recruit, hire, and retain these workers. The three-day workshop features a combination of lectures, panels, and hands-on training, giving managers the skills they need to foster the type of workplace where these employees can succeed. Participating businesses become part of a workforce pipeline with a steady supply of potential workers looking for jobs. At the end of the day, leaders with the Kentucky Chamber Foundation say, the goal is to break the stigma around fair chance employees.
“Watching the body language change in hiring managers and individuals in recovery, it’s amazing,” said Ryan Bowman, workforce recovery manager. “They’re talking to each other by the end of the session.”
Companies can apply online until Jan. 6th. The chamber will accept 35 businesses to participate in the workshop starting in February.
If you’re a manager who’s on the fence about participating, organizers say the program’s track record speaks for itself.
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They say there is nothing to worry about when hiring fair chance employees. Not only does the program teach you the skills needed if something goes wrong, but it’s also backed by legislation to protect all parties involved.
Toyotomi America, a heating manufacturing plant, is proof the program works. After attending the three-day event, Leigh Scully, Toyotomi’s Human Resources Manager, says they formed a partnership with a local recovery center. So far, they’ve hired 20 new employees from Addiction Recovery Care.
Chamber leaders also say finding meaningful work goes a long way in helping someone stay on a path toward recovery.
“Some people have never felt support and for an employer to come in and say, ‘We care about you. We care about the issues in the community,’ is huge,” said Bowman. “It can be life-changing for the employer and the individual that is feeling that support.”