LOUISVILLE, KY – Zach Perkins and Jessie Stidham, 2023 graduates of Menifee County Schools, have earned nationally-recognized certifications in Information Technology as part of a U.S. Department of Labor-approved Registered Apprenticeship. Funded by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), this 2-year program is an initiative led by Louisville-based Dataseam, who earned $1,500,000 from the ARC to expand technology workforce opportunities for high school juniors and seniors in the eastern Kentucky region.
Perkins and Stidham were recently recognized at the Menifee County Board of Education for completion of the program by Dataseam and district officials.
The U.S. Department of Labor Registered Apprenticeship provides vital skills as part of coursework, on-job training, and mentorship in a competency-based program. Overseen by the Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet, schools serve as employer-partners in conjunction with Dataseam. As part of the opportunity, participating schools earn technology addressing advanced curriculum needs providing sustainability to Registered Apprenticeship and other knowledge-based workforce efforts.
Menifee County Superintendent Tim Spencer stated, “It has been a great opportunity for our district team working with Dataseam to prepare these students for Kentucky’s technology workforce. They have provided tremendous value meeting technology needs as our district continues to upgrade infrastructure and facilities to serve the community. Registered Apprenticeships is a way we can connect students with necessary skills to enter the workforce or additional training sooner and more successfully.”
Both students will be attending Morehead State University in the fall. Zach Perkins intends to leverage the opportunities from the Dataseam DOL Registered Apprenticeship by majoring in Information Technology and Jessie Stidham intends to meet a vital need in the region with a degree in math education. Both students will have the capability and advantage of 2 years of prior work experience to build upon should they pursue employment while in school.
