KCTCS GRADUATE Samyuth “Sam” Pinnegar is a nursing student at West Kentucky Community and Technical College and, after graduation, he will be “Going Pro” at UK Albert B. Chandler Hospital. Pinnegar is pictured with Kentucky Community and Technical College System President Ryan Quarles and his “signing” certificate at “Going Pro” Signing Day on March 31 at KCTCS’ main campus in Versailles, a day to mark the significance of the movement of a student from school to a job in their field. (Photo by Brady Schultz)
By Scott White
Woodford Sun Staff
The Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) held its third annual “Going Pro” event at its Versailles headquarters for students starting their professional careers and signing, or becoming employed, with Kentucky employers.
The event, begun by KCTCS President Ryan Quarles, mirrors high school athletes signing day when they sign a letter-of-intent with the athletic team of their choice. Here, the signing day is intended to mark the significance of the movement of a student from school to a job in their field.
“This is one of my favorite events every year because it’s a chance for us to celebrate student success but also say thank you to the countless employers that are signing our students,” Quarles said in a press release. “This is a day when we celebrate our technical and trade students the same way as we celebrate students signing with athletics teams — they deserve it.”
The signing event featured 18 students, and highlighted their new careers and employers, including the Kentucky Transportation Department, UK HealthCare, Pratt Paper Mill, Huhtamaki, Appalachian Regional Health, Metalsa, Hibbs Electromechanical and Baptist Health.
At the event, KCTCS partnered with Abound Credit Union who presented each signee with a check for $250 from the Abound Credit Union Technical Career Scholarship fund to help pay for uniforms and other basic needs as they begin their careers.
Amber Bailey, a graduate of Hazard Community and Technical College and signee at the event, chose a career path in Information Technology (IT) and accepted a job with Appalachian Regional Hospital.
“I chose to go back to college to give myself and my children a better financial future,” Bailey said in the release. “I wanted to be able to provide for them with not just basic necessities but also experiences and options.”
Henderson Community College graduate, Caleb Gorell, winner of the 2023 SkillsUSA State
Championship for Welding Fabrication, said his deep-rooted passion for industrial operations and hands-on problem-solving led him to KCTCS and a career with Pratt Paper Mill.
“For me, the maintenance field is the perfect intersection of technical skill and critical thinking,” Gorell said in the release. “Signing during “Going Pro” marks a pivotal moment in my professional life. It represents more than just a ceremony; it is the official launch of my career.”
According to the release, KCTCS is dedicated to helping students and businesses build stronger workforces in key industries like healthcare, trades, manufacturing, logistics, and business. In Spring 2025, KCTCS graduated more than 24,000 students into the workforce. One in every 49 jobs is supported by the work of the 16 KCTCS colleges.
“As job openings continue to increase across the commonwealth, we need more Kentuckians equipped with the skills and tools to succeed in today’s workforce,” Quarles said in the release. “KCTCS ‘Going Pro’ Signing Day highlights the vital role community colleges play in meeting employer demand and reinforces KCTCS as the Bluegrass’s leading workforce solution and a powerful driver of job growth.”