Corbin Career Center to remain open as satellite office

Officials with the Kentucky Office of Employment and Training said Tuesday that the Corbin Career Center would continue to operate as a satellite office under the statewide reorganization plan.

In January, OET officials announced the plans, which called for eliminating services at 31 offices and transferring them to 12 hub centers.

If the Corbin office was closed, the nearest hub center would have been in Somerset, which would be responsible for serving a 10-county region.

However, Andy Hightower, senior policy advisor at the Education and Workforce Cabinet, said the option to keep the Corbin office open on a part time basis was still being considered.

“We left those operational decisions to the local workforce development boards as that entity is supposed to drive those operational matters,” Hightower said when asked what led to the decision to keep the Corbin office open. “They wanted to maintain the Corbin office.”

State Representative Regina Bunch, R-Williamsburg, had expressed her concern when it was announced the Corbin office might be closed.

Bunch said she voiced those concerns to multiple officials in Frankfort.

“I am pleased we will continue to have service available,” Bunch said.