Economic Engagement

Procurement Services

The purpose of Economic Engagement is to assist in breaking down barriers and expanding sustainable economic growth for Kentucky’s small businesses.

Economic Engagement unlocks the full potential of local economies by increasing entrepreneurship, ownership and wealth through intentional research, programs and initiatives. For the Commonwealth to become competitive, we need to invest in all its citizens.

Economic Engagement focuses on four growth strategies:

Building a Stronger Small Business Ecosystem Through Partnerships
Technical Support and Access to Capital
Workforce Pipelines for Small Businesses
Funding, Marketing, Research and Storytelling

Projects

Construction Business Accelerator

The Construction Business Accelerator (CBA) is a partnership between the University of Kentucky and Turner Construction.

Over 12 weeks, participants gain industry knowledge, hands-on training, and community connections that help them compete and grow in the construction sector.

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Walsh Pre-Apprenticeship Program

The University of Kentucky, in partnership with Walsh Construction offers a Pre-Apprenticeship Program designed to introduce participants to rewarding careers in the skilled trades. Through an eight-week, hands-on learning experience, participants gain job-readiness training, develop technical skills and explore the construction industry firsthand.

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Growing Our Own

Supported by the Office of Land-Grant Engagement, this initiative is designed to empower Kentucky-owned businesses. Through this collection of workshop materials and resources, participants and small business owners can continue to access vital knowledge and tools originally shared during our three-week program.

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