On Friday, rookies in advanced manufacturing and the companies they’ll be working for participated in the first Kentucky Manufacturing Going Pro Signing Day. The Kentucky Community and Technical College System and the Kentucky Association of Manufacturers (KAM) sponsored celebrations for new hires in advanced manufacturing at all 16 KCTCS colleges across the state.

Signees and companies participating in the event at Southeast’s Harlan campus were: Marlie Sullivan and owner John Combs, Combs Equipment Group; Ronnie Jackson and owner Gerald Gray, Comfort Solution Heating & Cooling; Jared Witt and owner Tim Rice, RT Welding & Fabrication, Inc.; Amanda Day and Nathan Collett and owner Missy Carter, Solid Steel Solutions.

Every year, Southeast prepares students to go pro in high paying, in-demand careers in advanced manufacturing that lead to a better life. Because Southeast aligns its programs with local business needs, their students are prepared to walk out of college and into a high paying career.

In the last year, 36 Southeast students graduated from the following programs:

• Computerized Machining and Manufacturing;

• Welding Technology;

• Computer Assisted Drafting;

• Air Conditioning Technology.

“Our mission at Southeast is to make people’s lives better,” says Southeast President Dr. Vic Adams. “One important way that we do this is to determine a need from our local business and industry partners. Then we offer the education and credentials our students need to go to work.”

Although salaries vary by job and company, the Statewide Occupational Employment Wages data provided by the Kentucky Center for Statistics shows the average starting salary is nearly $34,000 with a median annual salary of $51,000.

More information and videos from Friday’s event are available at the Going Pro website.