Celebrating Manufacturing Month: Mark Smith reflects on a decade of inspiring students
ASHLAND, Ky. – Eleven years ago, Mark Smith’s wife encouraged him to apply for a faculty position at Ashland Community & Technical College.
“By that time in my life, I was ready for a change,” he said. “I began teaching here and haven’t looked back. I love my job.”
Smith currently serves as the program coordinator of ACTC’s Industrial Maintenance program.
Prior to teaching, Smith said he earned an Associate of Arts degree from ACTC and worked a variety of jobs before he decided to return to college. He attended Morehead State University as a non-traditional student and earned a Bachelor of Science degree with an emphasis in Industrial Technology and an option in electricity and electronics technology.
After graduating from MSU, Smith worked at Metal Forming Technologies, Inc. in Lexington as a maintenance technician. He also worked as a maintenance technician at Kentucky Electric Steel.
He said that he knew after the first week of classes that teaching would be an extremely challenging job but had the potential to be rewarding.
“I knew this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life,” Smith said. “I love working with students, passing on my experience and knowledge to help prepare them for a career in industry. It is incredibly rewarding to see a young person get a great job after going through the program.”
Industrial Maintenance is only one of the many top-notch maintenance programs offered at ACTC. A credential in one of ACTC’s manufacturing programs can lead to a high-wage, high-demand job in fields such as machining, drafting, electricity, and welding.
“I’ve often said that a two-year technical degree is one of the best ways to start. In only two short years a person can get the skills and knowledge they need to get a great paying job,” said Smith.
He added, “There are many programs here at ACTC that can help a person get a great job with great pay. Our faculty are all experienced in industry and know what it takes to be successful.”
To learn more about the Industrial Maintenance Technology program at ACTC, visithttps://ashland.kctcs.edu/education-training/program-finder/industrial-maintenance.aspx
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Ashland Community and Technical College is strengthening our communities by providing certificate, diploma, and associate degree programs that prepare students for employees for employment or transfer to baccalaureate programs as well as enhance job skills through workforce training. As a member of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System, our colleges are united in their commitment to making life better for our students, communities and the citizens of Kentucky.
