OCTC's Workforce Solutions Team Partners with Cliff Hagan Boys & Girls Club to Launch First-Ever Workforce Academy in Commonwealth

by Becky Barnhart

Owensboro, KY (04/08/2026) — Over 20 middle school students from the Cliff Hagan Boys & Girls Club (CHBGC) recently completed the inaugural Workforce Academy, which was organized and led Owensboro Community & Technical College (OCTC)'s Workforce Solutions team.

Through the eight-week Workforce Academy, the Daviess County teens gained real-world experience in high-demand vocational fields, such as CDL, Healthcare, Veterinarian Technology, Carpentry and Manufacturing, as well as Leadership and Essential Skills training and Artificial Intelligence.

The classes were led by Workforce Solutions staff and instructors, Nathan Meredith, who teaches carpentry at Owensboro High School, and employees from Waupaca Foundry, located in Tell City, IN. Waupaca folks volunteered their own time to lead the manufacturing sessions and set up hands-on demonstrations and activities for the participants that Waupaca team members called a "foundry in a box."

Scott Fruge, a maintenance trainer at Waupaca said the "foundry in a box" was developed to "engage students, educate students in metal casting, and inspire students to think about career paths, which he felt would align with the mission of the Boys & Girls Club and would be a perfect fit for the Workforce Academy

"My co-workers and I really enjoy showing foundry in a box and talking to the kids about career paths; this event was a great experience for us," Fruge added.

CHBGC received money for the Workforce Academy from a Kentucky's Kids Workforce Grant through the Kentucky Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs and the Kentucky Education & Labor Cabinet. OCTC's partnership with the CHBGC in creating the Workforce Academy is the first-of-its-kind in the Commonwealth.

"These experiences better equip our teens with the necessary tools, skills, and foundational knowledge to pursue a viable career path after high school graduation," said Ryan Bibb, Chief Operating Officer for the Boys & Girls Club. "

Akaya White, a 7th grader at Burns Middle School was one of the 24 students selected by Club leaders to participate. "I really enjoyed the Workforce Academy at OCTC because I got to experience future careers and learned a little bit more about what I might want to do in the future," Akaya said. Her favorite classes were Healthcare and Vet Tech, adding that she admires other who help people in need.

In addition to teaching the students about driving trucks, CDL Instructor James Cecil said he also enjoys helping them understand that "truck driving isn't just about big rigs and highwaysit's also about being safe, responsible and all the hard work it takes to help keep the world moving.

"It is important that we Introduce young students to truck driving and plant the seeds to bring the next generation of commercial drivers into the industry," Cecil added.

Workforce Academy builds on OCTC and CHBGC's collaborative and highly successful Hands on Horizon event held in January 2025 and scheduled again for Wednesday, April 15th. Hands on Horizons (HoH) is a one-night event that introduces Club members from Daviess, Butler, Henderson and Ohio counties to workforce options after high school. Over 60 students participated in 2025 and the same number is expected this year.

"We're grateful for our partnership with OCTC and their ongoing commitment to our Club members," Bibb added. "We look forward to expanding the programs' impact in the future."

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