MCTC hosts regional KAM briefing

October 11, 2023
by Megan Smedley

Maysville Community and Technical College (MCTC) was honored to host the Northeastern Kentucky Regional Briefing of the Kentucky Association of Manufacturers (KAM) at the Maysville Campus last Thursday.

Frank Jemley, KAM President/CEO, and Dr. Laura McCullough, MCTC President/CEO provided opening remarks before turning the floor over to various speakers, including legislative advocates, regional manufacturing representatives, and local service providers.

KAM legislative advocates, Jena Scott and Rachel Bayens, provided attendees with updates on legislative issues KAM is keeping a close eye on in 2024, including the biennial budget, transportation funding and infrastructure, privacy issues for both individuals and commercial industry, workforce, education, and childcare.

Senator Greg Elkins, who was in attendance, addressed the concerns about limited childcare availability for Kentucky’s workforce and privacy issues and said that those would be discussed during the upcoming legislative session in Frankfort.

Elkins serves Bath, Clark, part of Fayette, Menifee, and Montgomery Counties.

Following the discussion on upcoming legislation, guests heard from a panel of regional manufacturers, which included: Jonathan Bonilla, General Manager of EnviroFlight; Don Campbell, Staff Engineer for International Paper; Dustin Grutza, Executive Vice President of Ranger Steel; and Lisa Wellman, Senior Human Resource Manager at Carmeuse Lime and Stone, Inc.

The panelists discussed the decline in the pool of prospective employees for manufacturing jobs in the region.

Campbell cited that International Paper is losing a lot of their workforce due to retirement, and said the company is having difficulty filling those positions with skilled employees.

Bonilla added EnviroFlight has been forced to automate some of its systems to compensate for the lack of available workforce.

However, the panel said that it’s not just the lack of skills that is posing a challenge; it’s that those who are skilled are traveling to other states to work.

Grutza pointed out that local manufacturers are having a hard time matching the pay of the higher-wage employers at the national level.

The panel also discussed why people aren’t moving to Maysville from other locations to work, and the group agreed that the housing market and the limited activities in Maysville have contributed.

To combat the limited workforce in the area, Wellman said that Carmeuse has partnered with the schools to hire interns to receive on-the-job training and then transition into full-time employment following graduation.

Following that group was a panel of regional service providers, made up of Owen McNeill, Mason County Judge Executive; Robbie Graves, MCTC Division Chair of Industrial Technology programs; and Dustin Grooms, Adult Education Specialist and Distance Learning Lead at MCTC.

The panel acknowledged that some of the biggest challenges with educating the future manufacturing workforce were the expenses of keeping up with the newest technologies and equipment, as well as retaining high-quality faculty.

Manufacturing programs at MCTC include Air Conditioning Technology (HVAC), Automotive Technology, Aviation Maintenance Technology, Computerized Manufacturing and Machining, Construction Technology, Diesel Technology, Electrical Technology, Industrial Maintenance Technology, and Welding Technology.

During the event, Lenora Kinney, Director of Community Workforce & Economic Development informed attendees that Workforce Solutions at MCTC also delivers customized training designed to improve the performance and efficiency of regional companies through short-term training sessions.

Kinney said through KCTCS-TRAINS, companies receive funding to assist with the cost of providing workforce training and assessment services to current, as well as potential employees.

KCTCS-TRAINS funds are distributed on a project basis and usually require a company cash match of 25%. Companies may apply individually or as a training network with other companies.

MCTC Workforce Solutions staff assist companies in developing training plans and applying for KCTCS-TRAINS funding.

The event concluded with Congressman Thomas Massie providing a brief update on current events happening in Washington D.C., including the race for the Speaker of the House and the looming potential for a government shutdown.

Guests were invited for a tour of the Maysville Campus following the event.