Louisville, KY – Steve Beshear, democratic nominee for Governor, today released details of his comprehensive plan for "Putting Opportunity First: Helping Kentucky Workers Prepare for and Obtain the Jobs of the Future." The entire plan can be viewed here.

Kentucky's Council on Postsecondary Education reports that within 10 to 15 years, nearly two-thirds of all new jobs will require some post-secondary education. The Council estimates that 32% of the nation's workers will need a bachelor's degree to compete for a good job.

"Ernie Fletcher has under-invested in education and our people and our economy has suffered as a result," said Beshear.

Right now, Kentucky ranks 47th in workforce education, 47th in the numbers of adults with college degrees and 45th in our ability to compete economically with other states.

The Beshear/Mongiardo plan for 'Putting Opportunity First' includes:

• Expanding opportunities for higher education;

• Increasing advanced training opportunities; and

• Modernizing state government's approach to developing a skilled workforce.

"We will start by enabling more kids to go to college and stay in Kentucky upon graduation," said Beshear. "My goal is to double the number of degree holders by the year 2020. To do this we must make higher education more affordable."

First, Beshear will create 'Kentucky First Scholarships.' The program will offer a grant in the form of a forgivable loan for tuition each year. One year of tuition is forgiven for each year that the student spends working in Kentucky after graduation.

Steve Beshear will also work with colleges, adult education and local school districts to integrate and enhance the high school curriculum and coordinate remediation services to help students become better prepared for college. Beshear will implement a program that allows high school seniors to either earn college credit or begin work toward a certification in the industry of their choice. Similarly, he will establish 'Early College High Schools' that allow high school students to earn up to two year of college credit before graduation and create an interactive college website that serves as a one-stop-shop on how best to meet college admission requirements.

"As Governor, I will market our state colleges and universities to the public both here and across the United States," said Beshear. "We have a lot to offer and we need to brag about it."

The Beshear administration will also fund the 'Bucks for Brains' program. This endowment program matches public dollars with private donations to spur research and enhance programs at Kentucky's postsecondary institutions. Despite the program's success, it has not been funded in recent years. Beshear will ensure it receives the funding it deserves.

We must also help every Kentuckian who can benefit from further education to get it," added Beshear. "Not only our children but working Kentuckians need additional education and training. If given the opportunity, many Kentuckians could earn more, get a better job or start their own business."

As Governor, Beshear will:

• Reach out to adults who are no longer in school but near completion of their degree and get them re-enrolled;

• Pursue opportunities to give college credit for work experience; and

• Continue efforts to strengthen agreements between public post-secondary institutions to accept credits from other schools so that coursework doesn't have to be repeated.

• Create a state loan program for working adult students. Kentucky currently offers a small scholarship program known as the Education at Work Scholarship, which provides awards of $500 for residents enrolled in post-secondary education. Beshear will expand the dollar value of this program, make sure that less-than-halftime students get assistance, too, and expand eligibility to include advanced job training opportunities and not just college courses.

"Workforce training programs must reflect the skills and requirements needed by today's businesses," stated Beshear. "I will ensure that training programs remain up to date and look forward to working with those geared toward helping women who want to work in nontraditional occupations such as energy, agriculture, adventure tourism and construction."

Right now there is duplication in Kentucky's economic and workforce development systems. Several state agencies, boards and councils currently have a role such as the Cabinet for Education which includes the Department of Workforce Investment and the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education and the Cabinet for Economic Development, among others. This leads to confusion.

As Governor, Steve Beshear will create a coordinated workforce delivery system that is responsive to current and future labor market changes and provide employers a robust pool of highly-skilled workers.

Meanwhile, Kentucky has lost 26-thousand manufacturing jobs in the last five years and the state is not spending all of the federal funds it receives under the federal Workforce Investment Act. "This makes no sense," said Beshear. "That money could have gone to provide life-changing training to thousands of Kentuckians. I will make use of every available federal dollar we receive so that no money is left on the table."

Finally, Kentucky needs a leader with the experience and authority to build a workforce that meets the needs of the 21st Century economy.

"This will require putting aside partisan politics to do what is right for Kentucky," said Beshear. "All it takes to bring our workforce and businesses together is some leadership and a little business sense. All it take to ensure our youth are prepared for college or to enter the workforce is some leadership and a little common sense. As Kentucky's next Governor, I will see that the job gets done."