Logan Aluminum Boosts SKYCTC's Advanced Manufacturing Program with $25,000 Gold Tier Donation on Giving Tuesday

Photo from left to right: Keaton Houser – GTT and SKY FAME Graduate, Susan Goff – GTT and Current SKY FAME Student, Joe Veracco –  HR Recruiting Team Leader, Whitney Grimsley – Recruiter, Mike Buckentin – Plant President, Josh Nokes – Engineering Leader in ESM (Engineering Site Maintenance), Kelcie Richart - Campus Director SKYCTC Franklin-Simpson Center, Steven Cross – Plant Utilities Reliability Team Leader in ESM (Engineering Site Maintenance) , Greg Beason - ESM Manager (Engineering Site Maintenance) , Meghan Watkins – Talent Development Team Leader, Teresa Hayes – Human Resource Manager, Kaylah Hadden, SKYCTC Success Coach 

 

FRANKLIN, KY (November 28, 2023) 

Logan Aluminum, North America's largest single-can sheet facility based in Russellville, KY, has agreed to a significant contribution to express unwavering support for advanced manufacturing education and workforce talent development. The $25,000 donation bolsters the Southcentral Kentucky Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (SKY FAME) program at the Franklin-Simpson Center of Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College. The primary goal of this initiative is to enhance the program's sustainability, empower students, and meet the increasing need for skilled maintenance technicians.

SKY FAME is a work-and-learn, selective admissions program designed to educate Advanced Manufacturing Technicians (AMTs). Students attend classes at the SKYCTC Franklin-Simpson Center two days per week and work at least 24 hours per week at a sponsoring manufacturer – all while being paid a competitive wage. AMTs study a multi-craft technical skill set, including electricity, robotics, fluid power, mechanics, fabrication, industrial troubleshooting, and more. After five semesters, students earn an Associate Degree in Industrial Maintenance Technology (Advanced Manufacturing Technician) and over 1,800 hours of on-the-job work experience.  

Recently, the manufacturers that support the SKY FAME chapter launched a case for support as part of an endowment campaign, “Showcase, Support, Sustain… The Future of SKY FAME”. The campaign aims to secure SKY FAME’s financial future by producing global-best maintenance technicians for Southcentral Kentucky and Northern Tennessee.

“Logan Aluminum has consistently embraced the transformative influence of education. We are delighted to contribute to the mission of SKY FAME, ensuring quality education and preparing the leaders of tomorrow through our donation of $25,000. This contribution is an investment in the future and a means of giving back to the community that has played a crucial role in our success. Logan Aluminum was a founding member of our Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (SKY FAME) chapter, and almost a decade later, we are so proud of the retention rates we see in our graduates,” noted Teresa Hayes, Human Resources Manager. 

SKYCTC’s Franklin-Simpson Center Campus Director, Kelcie Richart, added, "Drawing on extensive industry expertise, Logan Aluminum consistently stands prepared to bolster SKY FAME's endeavors in cultivating global-best advanced maintenance technicians. The longstanding commitment from Logan Aluminum to SKYCTC's mission reinforces our objective to train students using cutting-edge equipment and ensure that our faculty is adept and ready to navigate the constantly evolving technology in the industry. This collaboration is a superior example of the significance of partnerships between educational institutions and the corporate sector."

A first-year AMT student, Susan Goff, added, “The SKY FAME program goes beyond theoretical knowledge by incorporating real-world applications, ensuring the development of well-rounded and knowledgeable maintenance technicians. Our instructors, experts in their respective fields, balance classroom instruction and hands-on work, emphasizing practical learning. Logan Aluminum has fully embraced the training and collaboration principles integral to the FAME model. Teamwork and knowledge sharing are promoted through joint efforts on SKY FAME assignments and projects during work hours. Logan Aluminum commits to this standard by providing the necessary resources for success, including dedicated collaboration and coursework completion time. Coursework is prioritized, reinforcing the notion that, during the program, our primary responsibility is absorbing the comprehensive education offered by SKY FAME.” 

To learn more about SKY FAME, contact Franklin-Simpson Center Campus Director Kelcie Richart at kelcie.richart@kctcs.edu or Franklin-Simpson Center Success Coach Kaylah Hadden at kaylah.hadden@kctcs.edu.