OCTC Partnering with Cliff Hagan Boys & Girls Club to Launch Workforce Academy
Owensboro, KY (02/04/2026) — Owensboro Community & Technical College (OCTC) is partnering with the Cliff Hagan Boys & Girls Club to launch a first-of-its kind, eight-week Workforce Academy for local youth, starting February 11, 2026.
The Cliff Hagan Boys & Girls Club received money to create this program from a Kentucky's Kids Workforce Grant through the Kentucky Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs and the Kentucky Education & Labor Cabinet. The initiative expands access to career exploration, workforce readiness, and postsecondary planning for youth across Kentucky.
As part of this grant, OCTC Workforce Solutions will host the inaugural Workforce Academy, an eight-week program designed to introduce local teens to high-demand career pathways and essential employability skills. The Academy builds on OCTC's successful Hands on Horizon event, first launched in January 2025 and scheduled to return in April 2026.
"Our partnership with the Boys & Girls Club continues to grow and these events provide more opportunities to plant seeds for future workforce growth," said Becky Barnhart, Workforce Solutions Director.
Twenty-four students from Owensboro/Daviess County students will participate in the Workforce Academy with two-hour sessions held weekly at OCTC's Downtown Campus on Frederica Street. Program curriculum highlights include:
- Leadership and Essential Skills for Business
- Healthcare and Veterinary Technology
- Carpentry
- Advanced Manufacturing
- Technology and Innovation
- Supply Chain, Logistics, and Transportation
The Academy will conclude April 1 with a Celebration and Completion Ceremony recognizing the first-ever cohort of this collaborative program.
"Our partnership with Owensboro Community & Technical College is helping turn potential into opportunity," said Ryan Bibb, Chief Operating Officer of the Cliff Hagan Boys & Girls Club. "Through the eight-week Workforce Academy, our teens are taking meaningful steps toward career readiness and a successful life after high school."
E.K. Jack Barnard Scholarship Opportunity
The Cliff Hagan Boys & Girls Club also offers the E.K. Jack Barnard Scholarship for high school seniors in Owensboro/Daviess County and Ohio County. The scholarship awards two students $1,500 per semester, renewable for one additional year, for a total of $3,000. Funds may be used for college, university, or technical education.
The application window opens April 1. Interested students may contact the Cliff Hagan Boys & Girls Club at 270-685-4903 for more information.
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Owensboro Community & Technical College is one of the sixteen community and technical colleges that make up the Kentucky Community & Technical College System. OCTC serves the KY counties of Daviess, Hancock, Ohio and McLean. OCTC has three campuses in Daviess County and a Center and Annex in Hancock County. OCTC strives to serve the communities in the service area by providing associate degree education for transfer, state of the art technical education for students focusing on entering the workforce, customized business and industry solutions through the Workforce Solutions division, and adult education and business and industry testing through the SkillTrain unit.
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The Kentucky Community and Technical College System is the Commonwealth's largest postsecondary institution with 16 colleges and more than 70 campuses. We also are Kentucky's largest provider of workforce training and online education. Through partnerships with business and industry, we align our programs to meet the needs of local employers. We help students fulfill their dreams of creating a better life through programs that lead directly to jobs or help them transfer to one of our four-year partners.
Connect with OCTC: Owensboro.kctcs | Facebook.com/owensboroctc | Twitter@OCTC_Tweets | Instagram OwensboroCTC
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