MEMPHIS, Tenn.– It was signing day for some high school students in Memphis Thursday, but it has nothing to do with sports.
Dozens of students committed to attending technical school. The event mirrored the NCAA national signing day for athletes who commit to play sports in college.
“It just kinda included everybody from every background,” said Bartlett High student Logan Yarbro.
Yarbro was one of several Barlett students in attendance.
“ It was really exciting. I really liked it,” said Silas Scott, who also goes to Barlett High.
Scott is thrilled to start working toward a career in machine tool technology.
“It has major uses for the medical industry and how they make prosthetic limbs, prosthetic arms. It has other implications but it’s machines that are programmed to cut out specific dimensions of certain items,” he said.
Scott said he first realized his passion in school.
“I never really knew that I wanted to do machining until I was in high school. We got this program where they started giving us the tools, and the first day I did it I knew I liked it,” he said.
Roland Rayner, President of the Tennessee College of Applied Technology Memphis campus, said some 75 students signed letters of intent.
“We have 23 different technical programs that we offer. Aviation is one of our big ones that we offer. We have nursing, wielding, automotive and machine tool technology. We have IT,” explained Rayner.
He says some of these jobs starting out are between $45,000 to $50,000 per year.
“The opportunities are there. Absolutely the opportunities are there, and our job is to be a premier training provider,” he explained.
While Scott might’ve figured out his passion, he has this advice for others.
“I tell people who don’t know exactly what they want to do yet, it’s not bad that you don’t know what you want to do, but find something you like and pursue it.”
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