Walsh Group Teams with Goodwill to Train Kentucky Workers During $781M Hospital Build

LEXINGTON, Ky. — The Walsh Group, a Chicago-based contractor, is building more than just the $781 million Cancer and Advanced Ambulatory Building for the University of Kentucky — it’s also building a pipeline of skilled labor through an on-site pre-apprenticeship program in partnership with Goodwill Kentucky.

The initiative, launched August 1, is designed to train local residents in technical trades while the hospital takes shape, offering them a structured pathway toward registered apprenticeships and, ultimately, full-time careers in construction.

For Walsh, this is not new territory. The firm has been integrating pre-apprenticeship training into its projects for over 25 years. “We’ve kind of been leveraging our projects to advertise what’s awesome about construction for the last 25 years,” said Muhummad Starks, project manager at Walsh.

The 550,000-square-foot facility broke ground in April 2024 and is slated for completion in 2027. Once finished, it will be one of the largest healthcare expansions in the region, designed to advance cancer treatment and outpatient care.

How the Program Works

‍Over the next two years, Walsh and Goodwill plan to run six eight-week cohorts, each training small groups of pre-apprentices in skills ranging from safety and hazard identification to equipment handling and software use. After each session, the goal is for participants to transition into full-time employment with subcontractors on the project.

The first cohort is starting with three trainees due to the current scope of work, which focuses heavily on electrical, HVAC, plumbing, and concrete. As construction phases change and trades like carpentry and glazing ramp up, cohort sizes are expected to grow.

“When I set this up, I had the luxury of calling up a couple of project managers that had run a pre-apprenticeship program out here,” Starks said. “The Walsh experts who had run similar programs were instrumental in setting up the first week.”

Goodwill’s Role in the Partnership

‍Though best known for its thrift stores, Goodwill Kentucky’s mission is to help individuals overcome barriers to employment — including past incarceration, addiction recovery, and long-term unemployment.

“We of course love employer partnerships, but we really value those opportunities where there’s also a training component and where we can kind of bring together fantastic employers, great opportunities with career pathways and that training piece of it as well,” said Alycia Tidrick, Goodwill Kentucky’s director of strategic partnerships.

Jennifer Bergman, regional director of career services for Goodwill Kentucky, noted that construction offers second — and sometimes tenth — chances for motivated individuals. “It gives them a new chance, it gives them a second chance. It could be their 10th chance, but they’re ready for this. And it gives them not only a possible job, but something that can turn into a wonderful career,” Bergman said.

Addressing the Labor Shortage

‍The U.S. construction industry is grappling with a nationwide labor shortage as experienced workers retire faster than new talent enters the field. Programs like this not only address immediate project needs but also strengthen the long-term talent pool.

“We’re all dealing with the same problem,” Starks said. “I think the need for people working in construction who have experience drives the subcontractors to know it’s in their best interest to be a part of [something like this].”

By embedding training directly into major projects, Walsh hopes to inspire participants to see construction not just as a job, but as a viable, rewarding career path.

Originally reported by Zachary Phillips in Construction Dive.