The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that healthcare employment will continue to grow for the next several years and the Community Connections program is helping make sure that students in Mayfield and Graves County are ready to step into those careers in the years ahead.
Community Connections recently organized a field trip for about 28 high school students from Graves County and Mayfield Independent schools who have expressed interest in careers in healthcare. The students visited Jackson Purchase Medical Center (JPMC) and the Graves County Health Department (GCHD) where they talked with staff, learned more about the broad scope of careers the facilities offer and started building relationships that may provide internships or other career-building opportunities in the future.
Community Connections is coordinated by Graves County Economic Development (GCED) in partnership with Graves County and Mayfield Independent Schools, the City of Mayfield, Mayfield/Graves County Chamber of Commerce, the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and the West Kentucky Workforce Board. Its goal is to help students learn about local career opportunities and build relationships that could lead to internships, job shadowing, and other opportunities.
Eric Walker, the Community Education Director for Graves County Schools and Mayfield Independent schools, said the tour around JPMC was very eye-opening. “You know or have an idea of the general workings of a hospital, but when you see what happens in the lab to diagnose a particular disease and see the equipment that is used and the logistics of how the ER and surgical areas function, it really showcases the training and education that goes into the work that these lab techs and nurses and doctors do,” said Walker.
“The health department does a lot of work to keep our community safe,” he added. “Hearing about the numerous educational programs they oversee, and the outreach work they do to help people get healthy and stay healthy was very beneficial. I think it provided good insight about the healthcare career options students have here.”
“Jackson Purchase Medical Center was honored to host the high school students for a hospital tour and career discussion,” said Dave Anderson, CEO, Jackson Purchase Medical Center. “The tour consisted of the Laboratory, Advanced Wound Healing Center, Radiology, Emergency Department, Surgery, Intensive Care Unit, and our Inpatient Medical Surgical Wings. The students were very engaged and interested and asked very insightful questions during the tour. After the tour, we had a great discussion about healthcare career paths.”
JPMC is a modern, 107-bed hospital in Mayfield, serving the Jackson Purchase region.
Since opening in 1993, JPMC has been committed to providing high-quality healthcare close to home. JPMC is part of the LifePoint Health network, which helps connect the local hospital with advanced technology, specialized doctors, and up-to-date medical practices while keeping a small-town sense of community.
Riley Beth Willett, Program Coordinator, GCHD, said it was a pleasure to welcome the students to the Graves County Health Department and share what they do in public health. “They were engaged, asked thoughtful questions, and showed a genuine interest in how we serve our community,” Willett said. “I always enjoy visiting with and learning from the youth in our community—their perspectives are inspiring. Opportunities like this allow us to introduce students to the many different career paths within public health, and I hope visits like these encourage them to remember us when considering future employment in this field.”
GCHD serves as the primary public health agency for Graves County. Its mission is to promote the lifelong physical and emotional well-being of the community through preventive health services, health education, and environmental protection.
“Jackson Purchase Medical Center and the Graves County Health Department invested a great deal of time and energy in making these visits a great learning experience for our students,” said GCED President Jason Lemle. “We appreciate their support and look forward to the shared success that will come from investing in our future workforce.”
Community Connections visits continue throughout the school year.