Owl’s Head Alloys Pledges Annual $7,500 to Sustain SKYCTC’s Advanced Manufacturing Technician Program, SKY FAME

Photo from Left to Right: Travis Jones, Owl’s Head Alloys Chief Financial Officer, Neal Booker, Owl’s Head Alloys Vice President of Engineering, Kelcie Richart, Campus Director SKYCTC Franklin-Simpson Center, Zachary Scott, SKY FAME Student, Michael Boyle, Owl’s Head Alloys President, Steve Daugherty, Owl’s Head Alloys Vice President of Operations, Laura Feckter, Owl’s Head Alloys HR Manager, Shane Powers, Owl’s Head Alloys Quality Manager, Julie Stahl, Owl’s Head Alloys Director

Owl’s Head Alloys, a 100% Employee-Owned (ESOP) company and a renowned leader in aluminum recycling, proudly announces a substantial and meaningful contribution to bolster higher education and foster the development of tomorrow's multi-skilled technicians. A generous donation has been made to support the Southcentral Kentucky Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education’s (SKY FAME) endowment campaign, ensuring students can access the resources they need to excel as global-best advanced maintenance technicians (AMTs) trained at SKYCTC’s Franklin-Simpson Center.

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.

“Owl’s Head Alloys has always believed in the transformative power of education. We are delighted to support SKY FAME in its mission to provide quality education and prepare the leaders of tomorrow with an annual donation of $7,500. We see this donation as an investment in the future and a way to give back to the community that has been an integral part of our success,” noted President Michael J. Boyle. 

SKYCTC’s Franklin-Simpson Center Campus Director, Kelcie Richart, added, "We are deeply grateful to Owl’s Head Alloy for trusting our program to aid in their maintenance technician pipeline needs. Their annual pledge will solidify our goal to train these students on state-of-the-art equipment and ensure our faculty are trained and prepared for the ever-changing technology in the industry. This partnership exemplifies the importance of collaboration between educational institutions and the corporate sector."

Zachary Scott, a second-year AMT student, added, “The SKY FAME program is unique because I can apply everything I learn at school on the job. I’ve had the best experience as a student while working and learning at Owl’s Head Alloys. We are lucky because Owl’s Head Alloys treats all its employees extremely well, and I have had an incredible learning experience developing as a maintenance technician. I think their contribution to our program is fantastic because if it helps more people learn what I have learned, this is a game changer for my future.” 

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.