October 16, 2026
More than 40 people representing Graves County’s manufacturing interests recently met with West Kentucky Community & Technical College’s (WKCTC’s) Workforce Solutions staff to help shape WKCTC’s vocational curriculum with emphasis on the programs offered in Graves County.
The discussion was part of an Industry Roundtable convened by Graves County Economic Development (GCED) at the Skilled Craft Training Center on October 1.
GCED President Jason Lemle said it is important for employers to have input to the education and training systems they rely on to help prepare their future workforce. “We need to hear from you exactly what you want to see offered here in Graves County to support your business and industry.”
WKCTC Chancellor Dr. Anton Reece welcomed the guests and emphasized his staff’s commitment to supporting business and industry. “When we send students your way, we want to make sure they are thoroughly prepared and ready to not only engage in the workspace, but to excel,” said Reece.
Workforce Solutions’ mission is to design services and training opportunities to increase economic development in our region.
Dr. Kate Senn, vice chancellor of Academic Affairs at WKCTC, said WKCTC offers over 30 separate programs and three levels of credentials – degrees, diplomas, and certificates – within those programs. In Graves County, at the Skilled Craft Training Center and the Purchase Area Training Center, WKCTC offers in-person classes in automotive technology, diesel welding, air conditioning, nursing assistant, and some general education classes.
Graves County High School currently has 214 students enrolled in these classes and Mayfield High School has 79.
After an overview of WKCTC’s current offerings, Lemle urged participants to share their experiences, successes, areas for improvement, and any ideas they might have to build on the educational foundation WKCTC has established here in Graves County.
Chris Jackson, Director of Operations for Progress Rail, urged WKCTC to increase the emphasis on industrial safety in all their vocational and technical courses. “Safety is always going to be priority one in our facility, and I need employees to come in with that culture already established.”
Companies also emphasized that they expect to train new employees in specifics, but need candidates who are well-versed in basic skills.
“At Progress Rail, we employ between 250 and 300 people and we're craft-focused,” said Jackson. “Welders are one craft that we consistently seek out, along with industrial electricians and diesel mechanics.”
Jackson noted that solid general knowledge of the craft is more important to him than a particular certification. “They don't need to come with a specific license, but I need them to understand the basics so we can put them to work and teach them the specifics of how we want things done.”
Jody Howell, Vice President of Sales & Operations for ACE Compressor, agreed. “We need more students involved in learning the basics. Learning how to read instruments and that kind of stuff. What we do is all compressor work, and we can take them and train them to do our work. You're not going to have to run a thousand parts a day. It's always different. If we have more students learning the basics and how to read the instruments, we can train them.”
Another topic of discussion was the need for WKCTC to bring more machine/tool courses to Graves County to meet the needs of the compressor industry.
“Machining is very important to people in this room,” said Lemle. “There are 12 businesses and more than 150 employees that support the air compressor industry. The machine industry is critical to this country and the world, and so how are we planning to integrate their needs with your programs? Over the next 5 to 10 years, we're probably going to see the greatest shift ever toward retirement in these industries and we need to make sure they're taken care of and we are ready to help meet their workforce needs.”
WKCTC has staff assigned to work directly with employers and offers grants that can substantially offset the costs of developing in-house training for companies. They also offer pre-employment assessments and training to offset knowledge gaps in new hires. Several classes have already been re-designed to shorten the time required to complete the subject matter, which can also help businesses seeking to upgrade employee skills.
“Workforce Solutions and academics have the same goal, which is economic development for the region,” said David Tubbs, WKCTC’s program coordinator for automotive technology. Tubbs said he was always willing to work with companies to meet their needs.
The Roundtable concluded with a tour of the facility and equipment available for training.
“We know that your time is valuable, and we appreciate you taking time to help us shape the future of our training here at home,” said Lemle. “Thank you for all that you do for your employees, your businesses, and your community. I look forward to this discussion and the goals we seek to set with WKCTC.”
