Bluegrass Community & Technical College: BCTC, KAM Celebrate Kentucky Manufacturing Going Pro

Press release from Bluegrass Community & Technical College:

Apr 29, 2021

Published on Apr 29, 2021

LEXINGTON, KY - Bluegrass Community and Technical College (BCTC) and the Kentucky Association of
Manufacturers (KAM) are celebrating rookies in advanced manufacturing and the companies
hiring them.  Just like NFL athletes who go pro, these students prepare for the next
level - a good career in the manufacturing field.

"We're grateful for our collaboration with KAM and local partners to provide opportunities
to students," said Koffi Akakpo, BCTC President. "Developing this pipeline strengthens
the industry and communities served by our graduates."

This year, BCTC has 545 manufacturing graduates and 29 business partners including
Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky, Link-Belt, Lexmark, Florida Tile, Fayette Heating
& Air and more.  You can see the complete list of graduates and partners here.

One of those graduates is William Brooks, KCTCS All-Academic Team member who is specializing
in Electrical Technology.

The 16 colleges of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) had
more than 3000 manufacturing grads and 435 business partners. Students graduated from
the following manufacturing-related programs.

• Industrial Maintenance
• Computerized Machining and Manufacturing
• Welding Technology
• Engineering and Electronics Technology
• Electrical Technology
• Computer Assisted Drafting
• Air Conditioning Technology

"We're excited to join KCTCS for this virtual Going Pro event," said KAM Executive
Director Lee Lingo. "The KCTCS colleges offer Kentuckians affordable technical education
and direct access to thousands of high-paying jobs across the state. Kentucky would
not be the manufacturing and logistics powerhouse it is without the workforce to back
up our standing. The programs offered through KCTCS coupled with its apprenticeship
to direct-hire jobs are unparalleled. The skilled trades are the foundational and
continually-needed jobs of the future. The Kentucky Association of Manufacturers is
proud to partner with KCTCS to highlight the workforce of the future through Going
Pro."

Kentucky has 4500 manufacturing facilities employing more than 250,000. According
to a 2020 wage and benefits survey from KAM, the overall weighted average wage for
participating companies is $23.52 per hour or nearly $49,000 a year.

More information about systemwide graduates and employers is available at the Going Pro website. 

This press release was produced by Bluegrass Community & Technical College. The views expressed here are the author’s own.