How many jobs do they create?

Some announcements emphasize construction employment in a way that implies permanent jobs. Residents want an honest split between the two, and clarity about whether local workers and contractors actually get the work.

• Construction phases for large campuses can employ hundreds to thousands of skilled trades workers over multiple years — electricians, pipefitters, ironworkers, operators, concrete crews.
• Permanent operations staffing is much smaller relative to capital investment: technicians, electrical and mechanical staff, security, network operations and facilities management.
• Permanent roles typically pay above regional median wages and often do not require a four-year degree, which matters in counties with limited high-wage employment.
• Indirect and induced employment — suppliers, maintenance contractors, local services — is real but should be reported with its methodology, not as a headline multiplier.

• State construction and permanent employment separately, with wage ranges for each.
• Set local and regional hiring goals with reporting, not aspirations.
• Partner with KCTCS campuses, apprenticeship programs and local trades on a training pipeline before construction begins.
• Give local contractors real access to bid packages.
• Report actual employment annually against what was projected.

• Employment and wage data

  Source: Kentucky Center for Statistics

• Occupational wage estimates

  Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

• Workforce training programs

  Source: KCTCS

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