Power Truss Vice President Brad Power recently visited the Mayfield/Graves County Area Technology Center (ATC) to give advanced carpentry students a first-hand look at the role of digital design in truss manufacturing as part of the Power in Partnership program.
Power in Partnership is a joint effort between the ATC and Graves County Economic Development (GCED) that brings professionals to the classroom to share their expertise and offer career advice.
A locally owned, multi-generational manufacturer of engineered wooden roof and floor truss support solutions for the residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural markets, Power Truss is a dedicated supporter of programs that expand opportunities for students pursuing vocational careers.
During the visit, Power walked the students through a classroom exercise in which they reviewed two sets of blueprints, one for a four-story hotel and the other for a four-story mixed-use commercial/apartment building.
After reviewing the blueprints, students had the opportunity to see these projects plugged into the Power Truss design software that creates the truss layout and individual truss specification sheets.
“This classroom session was upstream from their previous site visit to Power Truss, where they toured the manufacturing facility to see the process of trusses being fabricated,” said Power. “I thought this experience was especially valuable for them to associate how the trusses are designed with how they are fabricated.”
Founded in 1979, Power Truss operates in a state-of-the art, 70,000 square-foot facility and employs around 50 people, including a large team of sales reps and certified MiTek software truss designers. Power Truss believes that providing a superior product, produced and sold at a competitive price, and consistently providing outstanding service and positive customer interactions, is what sets them apart from their competition.
"Power Truss continues to be a great industry partner for the ATC,” said Mayfield/Graves ATC Principal Josh Heisner. “Brad never hesitates to come and speak or host students on field trips to the company. The kids were wowed by seeing the actual blueprints for trusses that he's designing and selling. Brad is an awesome example of how diverse skill sets are utilized in construction trades."
“Successful economic development depends on having a workforce that is prepared to succeed in today’s manufacturing environment,” said GCED President Jason Lemle. “Presentations like this are very effective in bringing students on board and getting them excited about the variety of employment possibilities that exist. They see that while some kids may not be interested in building, they might be great at designing. These programs are showing them what’s possible and how they can become successful members of the local workforce. We’re grateful to Brad for everything he does to support our programs.”
The ATC’s carpentry program is designed to prepare students for employment in the residential and commercial construction industry. Students are involved in blueprint reading, layout, fabrication, walls, floors, ceilings, and roofs of structures. Students will use several forms of materials such as wood, metal, plastics, fiberglass, Styrofoam, and concrete in the construction process. The care and safe use of hand tools, power tools, and equipment is emphasized during training. The ATC is located on the Mayfield High School campus and educates students from Mayfield Independent Schools, Graves County High School and Carlisle County High School.