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Hiring resources · Kentucky

Kentucky hiring resources: free help finding applicants

The 6 official Kentucky offices that help employers find qualified people at no cost: the state workforce agency, job bank, veterans employment, vocational rehabilitation, reentry and apprenticeship. Every link was checked against the agency’s own site in October 2026. This guide is a free resource from WOTC Plus.

Workforce agency: Kentucky Career Center (Office of Employment and Training)Job bank: Kentucky Career Portal
 

Know who you’re calling

Where Kentucky employers can find applicants

Each office below works with a different kind of job seeker. Here is who you may meet through each one, and who to ask for when you call.

What to know in Kentucky: Employer resources live on kyworks.ky.gov while jobseeker and UI resources live on kcc.ky.gov. Kentucky also offers a Fair Chance Bond for justice-involved hires. Blind Services is a division inside OVR.

State workforce agency

Kentucky Career Center (Office of Employment and Training)

Job seekers you may meet

  • People between jobs, including the long-term unemployed
  • Laid-off workers retraining through WIOA programs
  • People finishing short-term job training and certifications
  • Career changers and recent graduates

When you call Ask for the business services team at your nearest American Job Center.

State job bank

Kentucky Career Portal

Job seekers you may meet

  • People on unemployment who are actively searching for work
  • Job seekers registered with the state job center
  • Candidates case managers are placing from other programs

When you call Create a free employer account and post your openings.

Veterans employment

Kentucky Career Center — Veteran Employment Services

Job seekers you may meet

  • Recently separated and transitioning service members
  • Veterans with logistics, driving and team-lead experience
  • Veterans with a service-connected disability working with the VA
  • Veterans who have been out of work and want to get back in

When you call Ask the job center for its Local Veterans’ Employment Representative (LVER).

Vocational rehabilitation

Kentucky Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR)

Job seekers you may meet

  • Job-ready adults with a physical, sensory or other disability
  • Blind and low-vision candidates through state blind services
  • People returning to work through Ticket to Work
  • Candidates who arrive with a job coach for the first weeks

When you call Ask for the business relations or employer services counselor.

Reentry & second chance

SecondChance.ky.gov

Job seekers you may meet

  • People recently released from prison or jail
  • People on probation or parole who have a case manager
  • Candidates who completed job training while incarcerated

When you call Ask for the reentry employment specialist or job developer.

Apprenticeship & youth

Kentucky Career Center — Registered Apprenticeships

Job seekers you may meet

  • Young adults in WIOA youth and Job Corps programs
  • Summer youth workers
  • Apprentices who earn while they learn
  • Career changers entering a registered apprenticeship

When you call Ask how to start or join a registered apprenticeship program.

Before you pick up the phone

How to call a Kentucky agency and get applicants

These offices want employer partners. A five-minute call is usually all it takes to start getting referrals.

  1. 1

    Ask for the employer team

    Use the “when you call” line above. Most offices have a business services or employer relations contact separate from the job-seeker front desk.

  2. 2

    Have your openings ready

    Job titles, pay, schedule, shift times, location, start date, and any license or background requirements.

  3. 3

    Ask what they can do for you

    Candidate referrals, job postings, hiring events, interview space, and training support. Every office is different.

  4. 4

    Get a name and stay in touch

    Ask who your contact will be and how candidates will reach you. Tell them when you hire someone they sent, so they keep sending people.

Kentucky employer questions

Hiring in Kentucky: common questions

Where can employers in Kentucky find job applicants?

Start with Kentucky Career Center (Office of Employment and Training). Its business services team will post your openings, refer pre-screened candidates and can host a hiring event, at no cost. Post your openings on Kentucky Career Portal, the state’s public job bank, as well.

Where can employers in Kentucky find veterans to hire?

Start with Kentucky Career Center — Veteran Employment Services. Local Veterans’ Employment Representatives also work inside the Kentucky Career Center (Office of Employment and Training) job centers and work directly with employers who want to hire veterans.

Where can Kentucky employers find job candidates with disabilities?

Kentucky Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) works with job seekers with disabilities and with the employers who hire them. Counselors refer job-ready candidates and can support them after hire with job coaching, training and help with workplace accommodations.

Does Kentucky have a reentry or second-chance hiring program?

Yes. SecondChance.ky.gov connects employers with people returning from incarceration who are ready to work. Ask about the Federal Bonding Program too, a free fidelity bond that protects the employer during the first months of employment.

Where should I post jobs in Kentucky?

Post on Kentucky Career Portal in addition to commercial job boards. Job center staff and case managers search these listings when they place candidates, including the long-term unemployed.

Do Kentucky’s hiring services cost employers anything?

No. The workforce agency, job bank, veterans employment, vocational rehabilitation, reentry and apprenticeship offices listed on this page are publicly funded, and their recruiting help is free to employers.

Hiring through one of these programs? WOTC Plus can help with your new hires →