Turning Layoffs into Opportunity: How OJT Helps Employers Rebuild with Skilled Talent

Turning Layoffs into Opportunity: How OJT Helps Employers Rebuild with Skilled Talent

By Mary Anne Medlock, West Kentucky Workforce Board

This spring, our region has seen layoffs impacting skilled, experienced workers—individuals who are ready to work, eager to contribute, and actively seeking their next opportunity. While layoffs are never easy, they also create a moment of opportunity—both for workers looking to re-engage and for employers searching for talent.

For more than 25 years, employers across the region have relied on On-the-Job Training (OJT) as a practical workforce solution. It has become a cornerstone of the West Kentucky Workforce Board’s efforts to help individuals transition from job loss to new employment—connecting businesses with skilled talent while supporting workers as they rebuild their careers.

Right now, that connection matters more than ever.

Many of the individuals affected by recent layoffs may qualify for OJT—an employer-driven program designed to reduce hiring risk while strengthening your workforce.

What is On-the-Job Training (OJT)?

OJT is a work-based training model that allows employers to hire and train new employees while receiving reimbursement for a portion of the training costs. At its core, it’s simple:

• You hire the employee
• You train them to your standards
• You are reimbursed for up to 50% of wages during a pre-determined, negotiated training period

OJT recognizes a reality every employer understands—training takes time, and time impacts productivity. By offsetting those early costs, OJT allows businesses to invest in people with confidence.

Why This Matters Right Now

Workers who have been laid off through no fault of their own often bring years of experience, strong work habits, and transferable skills. What they need is not a starting point—but a bridge.

OJT provides that bridge. It allows employers to:

• Engage available, experienced talent
• Reduce onboarding and training costs
• Build loyalty through investment in employee growth
• Strengthen their workforce during times of transition

At the same time, it ensures workers can re-enter the workforce with purpose and stability—often faster and with greater long-term success.

What Employers Need to Know About OJT

The questions we hear most from employers are not about eligibility—they’re about timing, effort, and control.

First, OJT is not an immediate start program. There is a short onboarding process to complete agreements and confirm eligibility through the workforce system – before the candidate begins worker. It takes a few days to complete all the steps— but Workforce Board staff handle the majority of the paperwork and guide you, the employer, through each step.

Second, participation is designed to be flexible. Whether you are hiring one individual or scaling across your workforce, OJT adapts to your business size—allowing smaller employers to participate while still supporting larger hiring needs.

And most importantly, these are your employees. You hire them, you train them, and they become part of your team from day one. The workforce system simply supports the process—helping offset costs and, when needed, providing a pipeline of pre-qualified candidates aligned to your job requirements.

As HR professionals, we often talk about talent shortages—but moments like this remind us that talent is still here. It’s just a matter of connection. OJT is more than a funding program. It’s a strategy—one that aligns employer needs with workforce potential. It allows us to move beyond simply filling positions and toward building careers.

If your organization is hiring, now is the time to explore how OJT can support your efforts. The right candidate may already be out there—ready to work, ready to learn, and ready to succeed.

Call me, I’ll be happy to get your company started.