Cameron Whitt graduated in May from the Greenup County Area Technology Center with three career pathway certifications, including automotive technology, welding and industrial electricity. Photo by Nathan Lyttle, Kentucky Department of Education
(LLOYD, KY) – Greenup County Area Technology Center (ATC) senior Cameron Whitt accomplished something no student at the school has completed before: becoming fully certified in three different career pathways before graduation.
Whitt completed full certification stacks in welding, automotive technology and industrial electricity, earning industry credentials that school leaders say have already opened doors to employment opportunities.
“I’ve always liked the traditional hands-on pathways and most of the trades themselves,” Whitt said. “I always knew I wanted to be an electrician.”
Whitt completed all automotive and electrical coursework at the Greenup County ATC and added welding after realizing he had room in his schedule during his senior year at Greenup County High School.
“I had an open class period and I didn’t want an extra (typical) school class,” he said. “I asked if I could get in there because it was another trade.”
Whitt earned Kentucky Department of Transportation welding certifications, including unlimited 3G and 4G tests, all nine Automotive Service Excellence certifications in automotive maintenance and repair, Occupational Safety and Health Administration 10 certification, National Center for Construction Education and Research electrical certifications and an Electrical Alliance interim credential through an online pre-apprenticeship curriculum with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local Union 575.
Greenup County High School Principal Stacey Thompson said Whitt took more than 60 tests to achieve his goal and is the first student in school history to earn this many certifications.
“We’ve had students certify in three programs before, but not fully certified,” Thompson said. “He completed the full stack in every area. He is career-ready in all three.”
Thompson said students like Whitt represent the impact career and technical education can have when students commit themselves early.
“When he got in here as a sophomore, from day one, he made it important,” Thompson said. “He began to invest in himself and his future.”
That investment has already paid off. Thompson said unions and industry partners regularly contact the school looking for skilled workers, and Whitt’s hard work earned him a paid work-based learning internship.
“When IBEW called and said, ‘We need somebody,’ Cameron was the first in line because he had so many certifications,” Thompson said.
Whitt plans to continue working with the electrical union in Portsmouth, Ohio, which is just across the state border from Greenup County, through an apprenticeship program before becoming a journeyman electrician. Eventually, he hopes to continue living in eastern Kentucky and use his skills to serve his community.
“I plan to stay pretty small town, just helping people out,” Whitt said. “I eventually want to have a little small-town freelance shop to do whatever anyone needs done.”
Although electricity is his primary career focus, Whitt said learning multiple trades gives him an advantage both professionally and personally.
“Knowing how to weld can get you that extra dollar an hour because they pay you for that information,” he said. “Automotive is good for everyday life, too. Your car is going to break. Knowing how to fix it helps.”
Whitt said the ATC gave him opportunities he would not have otherwise experienced.
“If it wasn’t for this, I wouldn’t know … what I know now,” he said. “I wouldn’t have known the opportunities that I could have had.”
Thompson said the hands-on environment at the ATC helps students build real-world skills and confidence.
“Our kids are in front of professionals every day,” Thompson said. “They’re literally getting in there and being coached every day.”
She said students graduate with more than a diploma because they leave with industry-recognized credentials and work experience.
“He can walk into an interview already prepared for the workforce,” Thompson said.
Through the Americans Helping Americans Grant, Greenup County ATC provided graduating seniors with professional tools they can take directly into their careers. The Americans Helping Americans program empowers Appalachian communities by providing basic needs, education, job training and home repair support to families in need.
Because Whitt completed certifications in all three pathways, he earned equipment packages for welding, electrical and automotive technology, including a professional welding helmet, a Klein electrical tool kit and belt and a GearWrench automotive tool set and toolbox.
Whitt encouraged younger students to explore opportunities available through career and technical education, even if they are unsure what career they want to pursue.
“If you like hands-on learning, try anything and everything,” he said. “I didn’t think I’d be much of a welder, and then I joined the class and realized I really liked it.”
For Thompson, stories like Whitt’s demonstrate why area technology centers are so important for students and communities across Kentucky. She said ATCs give students access to industry professionals, hands-on experiences and career opportunities that can change the trajectory of their lives before they ever graduate high school.
“There is no greater goal we have than to get our kids life-ready,” Thompson said. “For some of these students, it’s generational change happening right now. That happens because of what CTE does for our students and the opportunities that happen in our ATC.”
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