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Kentucky City Hopes to Tap Immigrants to Fill Job Openings

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BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (AP) – A Kentucky city is pursuing a study of how area immigrants can fill thousands of open jobs in the region.

The Bowling Green Daily News reports the Bowling Green City Commission approved applying for a $12,500 Gateways for Growth grant on Tuesday, offered through New American Economy and Welcoming America. The city would fund the rest of the $25,000 study to “develop a strategic plan to connect New Americans to available employment and career service opportunities,” per the municipal order.

Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce data from July shows that there were 5,992 job vacancies in the surrounding 10-county region. City Manager Kevin DeFebbo says the area has struggled to fill the openings.

DeFebbo says a significant portion of the city’s foreign-born residents go to outlying areas to work.