Pilot program to launch cash incentive initiative for Barren Co. Schools students

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – The South Central Workforce Development Board has announced the launch of of a new cash incentive pilot program at Barren County Schools.

According to a release Friday by Barren County Schools and SCWDB, the expansion impacts its Ready. Set Hire brand. The release states the effort will streamline messaging, outreach and connection for youth ages 16 through 24 with tools, including cash incentives for job commitment.

According to the release, this will include:

• $500 for staying in a full-time job for 90 days.
• $250 for staying in a part-time job of 20 or more hours per week for 90 days or successful completion of a school co-op/paid internship semester, according to the release.

A Ready. Set Hire. Rewards pilot is set to reach Barren County Schools, according to the release. The release says this will provide students with Barren County High School and the Barren County Area Technology Center with a cash incentive for successfully completing a co-op or paid internship over the course of the semester.

“The Ready. Set. Hire. brand reflects the momentum and energy behind our youth services,” states Jon Sowards, SCWDB president /CEO. “We want to make it simple and clear: if you’re a young person looking to work—especially if you’re heading straight into the workforce after high school—your first  stop should be Ready. Set. Hire. We’re not only helping youth get jobs—we’re helping them build confidence, discipline, and direction. This investment in our young workforce will pay dividends across our region for years to come.”

Under the Ready. Set. Hire. umbrella, SCWDB offers:
• Work readiness training
• Career coaching and job search assistance
• Ongoing employment support

To qualify for the retention bonus, youth must enroll before starting work, the release says. Services and incentives are available across all 10 counties in south-central Kentucky.

Justin Browning, CTE and Innovation Coordinator for Barren County Schools, states, “Thanks to the steadfast support of our district leadership and the dedicated efforts of our CTE instructors, work-based learning has become an essential pillar of our ‘Life-Readiness’ culture.”

Browning continued, “During the 2024–2025 school year alone, BCHS students completed over 35,000 hours of work-based learning, meeting critical local labor needs while gaining valuable experience and income that bolsters our regional economy. Partnering with SCWDB in this pilot program ushers in the next iteration of our work-based learning model, and we are eager to see our students reap the rewards of their hard work.”

SCWDB Career Coach, Shannon Gottke explains, “Barren County students show up, work hard, and are eager to succeed—and this program is going to help even more of them connect their classroom experience to long-term career success.”

For more information or to apply, visit www.southcentralworkforce.com and click the Ready. Set. Hire. tab.