Up until the early 1979s U.S. 42 was the main route from Louisville to Cincinnati through Northern Kentucky. There were a few industries on that road until the 1990’s when several mega industries were developed and the need for a skilled workforce grew.
In order to meet that demand some three decades later enter “Future 42.” — a high-tech highway to advanced manufacturing careers through education.
The industry-sponsored workforce-training program — with a two-year technical college education paid for by the industries needing the workforce — is providing a way for the industries to develop their workforce and for the students who participate to gain the education and skills to have careers working those lucrative jobs.
On Tuesday, April 29, 40 area high school seniors from Carroll County, Gallatin County, Henry County, North Oldham, Owen County, Trimble County and the ILead Academy in Carrollton were awarded Future 42 scholarships in one of five career paths at the Carrollton Campus of Jefferson Community Technical College: Applied Process Technologies, Engineering and Electronics Technology, Computer Information Technology, General Occupational and Technical Studies and Welding.
Dr. Ty Handy, president of JCTC, welcomed the fifth class of Future 42 scholarship recipients. When the program began in 2019 just a few scholarships were given but the program has grown through its success. He told the recipients “the skills you are learning will give you rewards for the rest of your career.”
On behalf of Governor Andy Beshear, Jamie Link, secretary of the Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet, told the students “The future is bright and happening right here. There are no short cuts out, you must work hard to gain the skills. Indispensable leaders in the five industries in the consortium are strengthening Kentucky for years to come in this training. You are the future. Historically economic development is the “engine” but it is the workforce that “drives the engine.”
Joey Martin, a Dow employee and board member of the five-member consortium consisting of NAS, PMC, Nucor, KU and Dow, spoke of the mentoring development that has gone into developing the Future 42 program. He said students can select an industry and be mentored and spend time in that industry to help make up their minds which career path to choose.
When the consortium began, the only mentoring opportunity was with KU. Now there are five industries and more than 70 students have been mentored from five counties. Martin described the scholarship as a “last dollar scholarship.” If a student receives any scholarship money up front — for example a Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship through the state or a community scholarship — that money is applied first with the consortium grant covering the remaining costs.
Amberly Yates, a graduate of the Future 42 program, also spoke and asked members of this year’s class to stand if they had parents who went to college. Nearly half them stood up, but that meant nearly half had parents who did not have the opportunity to attend college, an opportunity they now have through Future 42. “This is the best choice I could have made to be part of Future 42, make the best of it, study hard and be glad for the opportunity,” she said.
Students awarded scholarships included:
Carroll County: Dominick McCollum, Colton Keitz, Coy Willhoite, Ezekiel Lewis, Nate Gomez, Preston Snow and Jesse Mann.
Gallatin County: Andrew Brinker, Cayden Carver and Landon Smith.
Henry County: Anthony Whittamore and Tyler King.
LLead Academy: Elijah Watson and Curtis Johnson.
North Oldham: Ayden Menchen.
Owen County: Austin Willis, Blaine Boothe, Donte Ford, Jaden Bartram, Malachi Mefford and Justin Malo.
Trimble County: Dylan Penick, Brett Liter, Damon Taylor, Gabriel Gruchala, Hayden Webster, Charles Abbott, Tyler Douglas, Janessa Craig, Amur Runion, Briar Rucker, Collin Stark, Landon Tuttle, Owen Jackson, Zander Guth, Landon Rice, David McCoy and Hunter Collins.
Trimble County senior Janessa Craig said she likes the wide range of options the program allows. Having grown on a farm where the jobs and skills required are diverse, Future 42 allows her to identify a career path that suits her. “I have grown up on a farm, I know hard work, I am familiar with all kinds of farm equipment,” said Craig. “This scholarship has a wide range of options where I can use my skills and transfer them in the future if I want to.”
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