OCTC Workforce Solutions Partners with Boys & Girls Club for Second Annual Hands-On Horizons Event
Wednesday, Jan. 28
Owensboro, KY (01/22/2026) — Owensboro Community & Technical College's (OCTC) Workforce Solutions Team is partnering once again with the Boys & Girls Club to host the second annual Hands-On Horizons event on Wednesday, January 28, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. on OCTC's downtown campus, located at 1501 Frederica Street, Owensboro.
The event is expected to welcome nearly 70 Boys & Girls Club students from Daviess, Butler, Henderson, and Ohio counties, providing them with an interactive introduction to career pathways and technical training opportunities available through OCTC.
Hands-On Horizons is designed to expose students to a wide range of high-demand, hands-on careers through engaging demonstrations and activities led by OCTC Workforce Solutions faculty and staff. Participating programs will include Veterinary Technology, Healthcare, Commercial Driver's License (CDL), I-TEC, Carpentry, Welding, and additional workforce-focused training areas.
"Our goal is to help students see what's possible and begin imagining themselves in careers they may not have considered," said Sheri Plain, Vice President of Workforce Solutions. "By giving them hands-on experiences and real conversations with instructors, we hope to spark curiosity and confidence at an early age."
The partnership with the Boys & Girls Club reflects OCTC's continued commitment to community engagement and workforce development, particularly in introducing young students to viable career options that align with regional workforce needs.
"Hands on Horizons represents the power of partnership in action. By working alongside Owensboro Community & Technical College, the Cliff Hagan Boys & Girls Club is giving our teen members meaningful, hands-on exposure to career pathways and real-world skills that prepare them for life after high school. Together, we are helping young people envision their future and take confident steps toward it" added Ryan Bib, COO at the Boys & Girls Clubs.
"This event is about opportunity and exposure," said Becky Barnhart, Workforce Solutions Director. "Hands-On Horizons gives the students a chance to explore careers in a fun, supportive environment while connecting them with people who want to see them succeed."
Hands-On Horizons is the second annual event of its kind and continues to grow as a collaborative effort to inspire the next generation of skilled professionals across the region.
For more information about OCTC Workforce Solutions and community partnerships, email becky.barnhart@kctcs.edu.
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Owensboro Community & Technical College is one of the sixteen community and technical colleges that make up the Kentucky Community & Technical College System. OCTC serves the KY counties of Daviess, Hancock, Ohio and McLean. OCTC has three campuses in Daviess County and a Center and Annex in Hancock County. OCTC strives to serve the communities in the service area by providing associate degree education for transfer, state of the art technical education for students focusing on entering the workforce, customized business and industry solutions through the Workforce Solutions division, and adult education and business and industry testing through the SkillTrain unit.
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The Kentucky Community and Technical College System is the Commonwealth's largest postsecondary institution with 16 colleges and more than 70 campuses. We also are Kentucky's largest provider of workforce training and online education. Through partnerships with business and industry, we align our programs to meet the needs of local employers. We help students fulfill their dreams of creating a better life through programs that lead directly to jobs or help them transfer to one of our four-year partners.
Connect with OCTC: Owensboro.kctcs | Facebook.com/owensboroctc | Twitter@OCTC_Tweets | Instagram OwensboroCTC
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