Draft:Bit Source
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| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Software development |
| Founded | 2014 |
| Founders | Charles "Rusty" Justice; M. Lynn Parrish |
| Headquarters | Pikeville, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Products | Custom software, web and mobile applications |
| Website | www |
Bit Source is a software development company based in Pikeville, Kentucky. Founded in 2014 by mining executives Charles "Rusty" Justice and M. Lynn Parrish, the firm drew national and international attention for creating a paid training and employment pathway for former coal industry workers to become software developers.[1][2][3] Coverage frequently described Bit Source as an early and widely publicized attempt to transition Appalachian coal workers into “blue-collar coders,” situated within broader efforts to diversify the regional economy sometimes branded “Silicon Holler.”[4][5]
History
[edit]Justice and Parrish developed the concept in 2014 after visiting a Kentucky tech incubator and assessing whether programming could offer wages and career stability comparable to mining.[2] They acquired a vacant Coca-Cola bottling plant in Pikeville and converted it into Bit Source’s office and training space, taking advantage of local broadband infrastructure.[2][3]
In 2015, working with the Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program (EKCEP), Bit Source advertised entry-level developer jobs and received about 900 applications for ten trainee positions.[1][2] The initial cohort consisted largely of displaced coal industry workers who entered a paid, 22-week training program funded in part by U.S. Department of Labor resources administered through EKCEP’s Hiring Our Miners Everyday (HOME) program.[1] Trainees were paid during instruction and, upon completion, were employed by the company to work on commercial projects.[2][3]
Training model and operations
[edit]Bit Source’s training emphasized practical web and software development skills—initially HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Drupal—with instruction oriented toward team-based production workflows.[3] After the training period, developers contributed to client projects including municipal and regional websites and applications, and later explored platforms such as the Unity game engine.[3] As of the early coverage period (2015–2017), the company described its approach as building a pipeline of “blue-collar coders” who could export code from Eastern Kentucky to clients elsewhere.[3][6]
Reception and context
[edit]The initiative attracted significant media attention as part of a broader conversation about economic transition in Appalachia and the feasibility of reskilling programs for mid-career workers.[2][1][5] Commentators sympathetic to the effort highlighted the technical aptitude and problem-solving experience of miners and the potential to “export code” from rural regions.[3][4] Skeptical analysis questioned whether training programs and broadband expansion alone could produce a self-sustaining regional tech ecosystem, noting challenges of client acquisition, infrastructure, and scale.[7]
Location
[edit]Bit Source is headquartered at 375 Hambley Boulevard in Pikeville, Kentucky.[8]
See also
[edit]- Appalachia
- Silicon Holler
- Interapt (TEKY program)
- Mined Minds
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Volcovici, Valerie (June 8, 2015). "Can an Appalachian 'Silicon Holler' rise in coal's shadow?". Reuters. Retrieved September 30, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f Smiley, Lauren (November 18, 2015). "Can You Teach a Coal Miner to Code?". Wired. Retrieved September 30, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g Patel, Prachi (February 15, 2017). "The Kentucky Startup That Is Teaching Coal Miners to Code". IEEE Spectrum. Retrieved September 30, 2025.
- ^ a b Thompson, Clive (February 8, 2017). "The Next Big Blue-Collar Job Is Coding". Wired. Retrieved September 30, 2025.
- ^ a b Rosenblum, Cassady (April 21, 2017). "Hillbillies who code: the former miners out to put Kentucky on the tech map". The Guardian. Retrieved September 30, 2025.
- ^ Peters, Adele (April 18, 2016). "This Kentucky Startup Employs Former Coal Miners and Teaches Them To Code". Fast Company. Retrieved September 30, 2025.
- ^ Bailey, Ronald (November 25, 2017). "The Noble, Misguided Plan to Turn Coal Miners Into Coders". Reason. Retrieved September 30, 2025.
- ^ "Bit Source — Contact". BitSourceKY.com. Retrieved September 30, 2025.