(RUSSELL SPRINGS, KY., AUGUST 21, 2026) Kentucky Recovery Vocational is celebrating a major milestone in its mission to connect recovery, workforce development and successful reentry.
The Russell Springs-based nonprofit recently surpassed 500 workforce certificates earned by participants through its vocational training programs.
KRV Executive Director Jeric DeVore said 500 workforce certificates is a milestone worth celebrating, but there is still plenty of work to be done.
“Five hundred certificates is an exciting milestone, and one we are incredibly proud of, but we also see it as motivation to keep building,” DeVore said. “There are employers in the Lake Cumberland area and across Kentucky looking for dependable, skilled workers, and there are individuals in recovery looking for an opportunity to prove what they can do. Programs like Kentucky Recovery Vocational can help bridge that gap by preparing people for the workforce while helping employers meet real labor needs.”
Kentucky Recovery Vocational (KRV) provides comprehensive vocational training and support services to individuals overcoming substance abuse challenges.
KRV partners with Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC) to offer classes to clients with the ability to earn a Certified Production Technician 4.0 certificate, providing KRV clients with crucial skills needed in the modern manufacturing workplace.
KRV also partners with Goodwill KY and MSSC to provide a Certified Logistics program, utilizing industry-recognized training to prepare clients for careers in warehouse, distribution, and manufacturing support roles.
The newest addition to KRV is a welding program launched in 2025. This year alone, KRV has provided welding training to more than 30 clients in the program. This welding program has yielded significant results, training clients to learn a new skill in high demand by employers in the area.
“The welding program is a great example of what Kentucky Recovery Vocational is designed to do,” DeVore said. “We aim to connect recovery with real opportunity. We’re not simply teaching someone how to weld. We’re helping them develop a marketable skill that can lead to meaningful employment,financial stability and a renewed sense of purpose. When people are equipped with the tools to succeed in the workforce, that strengthens their recovery, their families and ultimately the community as a whole.”
In addition to vocational training, Kentucky Recovery Vocational works to remove barriers to employment by helping participants with job searches, resume development, interview preparation and connections with potential employers.
The goal is not only to help individuals earn credentials, but to help turn those credentials into sustainable employment. So far in 2026, that has led to 91 job placements for KRV clients with area employers.
Scott Wells, President of KRV, said the organization has far-reaching impacts not only for the clients it serves, but the community as a whole.
“When people are equipped to find meaningful employment, they are better positioned to support their families, contribute to the local economy and become active members of their communities,” Wells said. “That is the kind of long-term impact we want Kentucky Recovery Vocational to have. When we help someone gain job skills and successfully reenter the workforce, the impact extends far beyond that individual. Workforce development and successful reentry benefit everyone.”
To learn more about Kentucky Recovery Vocational, visit kyrecoveryworkforce.com or visit the Kentucky Recovery Vocational Facebook page.