A few months ago the empty space in the Lewisport Shopping Center was a problem for the community, the center owner, and the other center occupants. Today, that space is now the newest "branch" of the Owensboro Community and Technical College. More specifically, the "Hancock County Center" of the college.
With the help of local community stakeholders such as the Hancock County Fiscal Court, the Lewisport City Council, the Hancock County School system, local industries, the Hancock county Training Consortium and Industrial Foundation and of course, the OCTC, we have a real live extension of the college in the county!
These "partners" pulled together to pay the lease, the utilities, furnish and equip, renovate the space, i.e., whatever it took to make this a reality. This was a model of community involvement and support for a common vision to bring additional training opportunities closer to home. Hancock County has one of the highest manufacturing bases in the state of Kentucky, a double digit unemployment rate, and an economic base whose time has come for transformation. Manufacturing jobs are dwindling, however, the local industries have a real need to train new skilled crafts trades in industrial maintenance. The local high school is also providing "duel credit" opportunities for its students in health allied fields as well as informational technology studies.
On this project, the need came together with the passion, the partners, and the will to "get it done". Oh yeah, it got done in spite of the drained state budget and the stalemate scenario in Washington. And yes, we asked them all to pitch in. They all supported it but unfortunately, didn't have the funds to assist. So, we did it ourselves! Thanks to all who made this possible. I will have more on this later as well as some photos and maybe even a slide show of the "birth" of a small town college!
More to come......
MTB
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