HOPKINSVILLE, KY. (May 3, 2024) Hopkinsville Community College held a “Going Pro” signing event to recognize 35 HOPFAME students along with manufacturing industry partners who the student work with during the program. The ceremony included students who will graduate this week, those in the middle of the program and the incoming class cohort that will begin classes in August.

2024 HOPFAME Graduates / Company Partner:

Christian Angel of Hopkinsville / Metalsa Structural Products

Kaedyn Fillers of Elkton / Novelis

Austin Hale of Hopkinsville / Huhtamaki

Noah Holt of Elkton / Novelis

Jackson Jones of Elkton / Toyoda Gosei

Layton Mason of Hopkinsville / Douglas Autotech/JTEKT

Curtis Nichols of Elkton / Huhtamaki

Skylar Wilson of Cadiz / Pregis

Current HOPFAME Students / Company Partner (Class of 2025):

Isaac Coulter of Hopkinsville / Huhtamaki

Hayden Hake of Elkton / Huhtamaki

Jesy Inman of Hopkinsville / Martinrea

Piper Krohn of Hopkinsville / Novelis

Marcus Leavell of Elkton / White Drive Products

Jessica Williams of Hopkinsville / Metalsa Structural Products

Incoming HOPFAME cohort beginning August 2024 / Company Partner:

Jameer Adkinson of Hopkinsville / Freudenberg

Abigail Allen of Hopkinsville / JTEKT

Matthew Balthrop of Gracey / Huhtamaki

Aaron Brown of Lewisburg / Novelis

Ryley Cantu from Woodburn (company match TBD)

James Carabajal of Princeton / Novelis

Joshua Carrender of Elkton / Huhtamaki

Tyler Evitts of Hopkinsville / Plymouth

Bennett Farrell of Hopkinsville (company match TBD)

Daniel Herrera of Elkton / Martinrea

Horacio Herrera of Elkton / Metalsa Structural Products

Tyler Knight of Cadiz (company match TBD)

Kameron Morris of Hopkinsville / Huhtamaki

Jon Nichols of Cadiz (company match TBD)

Xaveir Reid of Hopkinsville (company match TBD)

Xaveiyon Reid of Hopkinsville (company match TBD)

Jordan Strohl of Hopkinsville / Metalsa Structural Products

Kary Watts of Hopkinsville (company match TBD)

Levi Watts of Cadiz / JTEKT

Thomas Webster of Hopkinsville (company match TBD)

Liam Woods of Hopkinsville / JTEKT

Two award winners were also recognized during the ceremony. The 2024 HOPFAME Distinguished Graduate Award and the Adrian Tucker MVP Award.

Skylar Wilson has been named the 2024 HOPFAME Distinguished Graduate. Wilson earned an associate in applied science degree in Industrial Maintenance Technology on Friday upon completion of the program. Wilson, who was employed by Pregis during the two-year program, was selected based on his outstanding performance both in the classroom and on the job. The Distinguished Graduate award is the highest honor bestowed in the local FAME chapter and recognizes the graduate who most fully embodies all the key elements of the program. The award considers performance at work, application of professional behaviors and manufacturing core exercises, leadership, and grade point average.

The Adrian Tucker MVP Award was added by the HOPFAME Board this year in honor of the late Adrian Tucker, a graduate of the program who passed at 34-years-old in December of 2023. The recipient of this award will be chosen annually by the HOPFAME graduating class and should exhibit the following qualities:

Demonstrates leadership abilities within HOPFAME cohort,

Encourages, motivates, and challenges class peers to be their best,

Dedicates themselves to personal growth and achieving goals.

Kaedyn Fillers is the inaugural recipient of the Adrian Tucker MVP Award. Fillers was employed by Novelis during his two years in the program and was recently hired full-time by the company. Fillers’s classmates expressed their appreciation for his encouragement, determination, and growth throughout his time in the program.

HOPFAME is the Hopkinsville chapter of the Kentucky Federation of Advanced Manufacturing Education (KYFAME). HOPFAME is an Industrial Maintenance Technology / Advanced Manufacturing Technician program that offers a five-semester college degree program that matches higher education with continuous real-world experience in an apprentice-style setting. HOPFAME students focus on mastering skills in industrial maintenance, computerized machining and manufacturing, welding, engineering, electronics, electrical and computer assisted drafting.

According to HCC Workforce Solutions Chief Carol Kirves, the incoming August class of 21 students sets a record for HCC’s HOPFAME program. “We’re excited for the program growth and proud to celebrate all our HOPFAME students and company partners. These students are gaining value experience and making connections with industry leaders while earning their credentials,” stated Kirves. “HOPFAME graduates earn an associate degree in applied science, become certified as an Advanced Manufacturing Technician and gain work experience that will put them ahead of most other job seekers,” she continued.

*According to data provided by Lightcast, those working in industrial maintenance fields in Kentucky earn an average of more than $48,000 annually. The field is projected to grow almost 6 percent by 2028.

HOPFAME students with company partner representatives

2024 HOPFAME Distinguished Graduate Skylar Wilson

2024 Adrian Tucker MVP Award Winner Kaedyn Fillers

https://hopkinsville.kctcs.edu/education-training/program-finder/industrial-maintenance.aspx

ABOUT HOPFAME:

HOPFAME is the Hopkinsville chapter of the Kentucky Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (KYFAME), a collaborative of manufacturers whose purpose is to implement apprentice-style training to create a pipeline of highly skilled workers. Kentucky is one of 11 states with FAME USA programs. Fifty-nine participants have completed the five-semester program at HCC since its launch in 2016. HOPFAME students attend classes at HCC two days each week and work at their employer site three days a week. The curriculum includes not only essential hands-on training but also lean manufacturing principles and critical workplace behaviors. Graduates have 18 months of work experience, extensive knowledge in electricity, fluid power, mechanics, fabrication, and robotics, as well as personal skills necessary for success.

For more information. Call (270) 707-3738, email hp-hopfame@kctcs.edu or visit //rebrand.ly/HOPFAME

ABOUT HCC:

For many Pennyrile Kentucky region and Fort Campbell residents, higher education begins at Hopkinsville Community College (HCC).  The college serves thousands of area residents each year as a comprehensive regional learning center providing academic and technical associate degrees; diploma and certificate programs in occupational fields; pre-baccalaureate education; adult, continuing and developmental education; customized training for business and industry; and distance learning. As part of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System, HCC is a critical component to transforming the region’s economy by providing citizens with the education and training needed for high growth, high wage careers. For more information, visit Hopkinsville.kctcs.edu

HCC is an equal opportunity employer and education institution.

Posted in HOP FAME Chapter, Kentucky