Power In Partnership - Career Pathways - Accounting

Graves County Economic Development (GCED) and the Mayfield/Graves County Area Technology Center (ATC) are collaborating on a new program, Power In Partnership, where career professionals come to the ATC and speak to students about their field. These professionals provide information about pay/benefits, advancement/progression, training needed after high school, and any crucial details that help them understand the field.

ATC Principal Josh Heisner is glad to see this program coming together.

"Power in Partnership gives our students opportunities to learn from and interact with local professionals in their pathways. The ATC's mission is to provide our students with as much knowledge and as many opportunities as possible as they prepare for their next steps. This program aligns with that mission perfectly. It is making students aware of opportunities locally and helping them visualize thriving futures in our community. We are very thankful for GCED and these businesses that are investing time into our programs and, more importantly, our young people."

In the upcoming weeks we will highlight all the businesses that participated in the program by distributing one press release per career pathway, due to the immense number of professionals that have partnered with GCED and the ATC for this opportunity.

We had two businesses speak to the accounting class in the same week. The students learned from Williams, Williams, & Lentz (WWL) and Fox & Co. CPAs.

Arin Proctor of WWL presented about the field and career opportunities within the accounting field, making mention that an accounting degree from Murray State University would guarantee them a job in the field. 

“Accounting is a career pathway with many opportunities. If the accounting pathway students go on to pursue accounting at Murray State, they can line up a job before they are handed their diplomas,” Proctor elaborated.

Laura Clifford and Megan Vinson, a former student of the ATC accounting pathway, of Fox & Co. CPAs talked to the students about the importance of internships, networking, and certifications such as becoming a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

“All businesses need accounting, which creates opportunities in public accounting firms and private businesses doing in-house accounting. If the students move forward with internship opportunities, networking, and enhancing their credentials, they will have potential to be high earners,” Clifford explained.

Other ATC pathways where we brought in professionals to speak to the students were Welding, Machine & Tool, Carpentry, Electricity, and Computer Science. We're having multiple professionals per pathway and the accounting pathway was the first one that we completed for Power In Partnership.

Multiple businesses have participated so far, with many lined up for the next few weeks.

GCED President Jason Lemle commented on the program.

“Power In Partnership is a terrific opportunity for students to gain insights into their potential career pathways. We are so grateful for all the business, industry, and community partners who provided valuable information to the ATC students. Your partnership with the ATC and their students will pave the way to future success for them and the community.”

About Graves County Economic Development

Graves County Economic Development began in 1981, becoming the driving force behind expansion and development opportunities in the community. It continues to foster strong relationships with existing businesses and attracts new industry to grow in Graves County. There are 44 industrial businesses in Graves County that employ 2,300 people in the community.