Todd County Fiscal Court and PADD Receive NADO 2016 Innovation Award for the Todd County Career Path Institute

​The Todd County Fiscal Court and the Pennyrile Area Development District received a 2016 Innovation Award from the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) Research Foundation for the Todd County Career Path Institute at the October 2016 NADO Annual Conference.

The Todd County Career Path Institute is a cooperative partnership between the Todd County Fiscal Court, Christian County Fiscal Court, Todd County Board of Education, Todd County Industrial Foundation, the Hopkinsville Community College, the Southern Pennyrile Chamber Alliance, and the Pennyrile Area Development District, and is a first of its kind in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The Todd County Career Path Institute project specifically consisted of the construction of a new 15,765 sq. ft. self-contained building that houses program administration space, instructional space, workshop space, toilet rooms and utility space. The building design accommodates programmatic changes which may occur over time due to the evolving needs in workforce training. It is possible that the workshop areas can be reconfigured. The new building is sited to allow for expansion, allowing for program growth
and/or reconfiguration.

The Todd County Career Path Institute began offering classes in the fall semester of 2016 to residents of Todd County, as well as surrounding counties in the region through the Hopkinsville Community College service area. Initial programming includes certification tracks for Machine Tool, Industrial Maintenance, and Welding; Soft Skill training will also be a critical component of the programs offered at the facility. Each program has the capacity to graduate 30 students annually in each of the three programs; these students will graduate with an industry recognized certificate in those fields that will allow them to be employed immediately.
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NADO is a Washington, DC-based association that promotes programs and policies that strengthen local governments, communities, and economies through regional cooperation, program delivery, and comprehensive strategies. The association’s Innovation Awards program recognizes regional development organizations and partnering organizations for improving the economic and community competitiveness of our nation’s regions and local communities. Award-winning projects were honored during NADO’s 2016 Annual Training Conference, held October 15-18 in San Antonio, TX. The 2016 class of award recipients consists of 96 projects spanning 28 states. These projects are presented in an interactive “Story Map” developed by NADO and Esri and include project summaries, funding information, and partners. The Story Map is available online at: https://www.nado.org/innovationawards/.

“Since 1986 through its Innovation Awards program, NADO has recognized the transformative work regional development organizations perform every day. Award-winning projects showcase best practices across the country in regional development that support prosperous communities, stronger local economies, and improved quality of life for residents,” said 2015-2016 NADO Board President Jeffrey Kiely, Executive Director of the Northwest New Mexico Council of Governments, located in Gallup, New Mexico.