Students' hard work toward technical careers celebrated at AmTech signing day

AmTech Career Academy in Amarillo hosted a Texas Panhandle Career Signing Day on Tuesday in collaboration with Workforce Solutions for students going into trade programs.

Workforce Solutions has held a series of signing days throughout the Texas Panhandle with multiple high schools. These events were set up much like those for athletes, to celebrate students who have been accepted into technical programs. Career fields that were represented include pharmacy technicians, animal care technicians, carpentry, auto technicians and other technical jobs.

Amtech Career Academy Principal Jay Barrett spoke about the inaugural event and the importance of recognizing the hard work of these students.

“We have always had this idea to have this type of signing from other events I have seen across the country, so we partnered with Workforce Solutions to really make this a special event,” Barrett said. “We plan in the future to fill this entire room with parents and business partners, because we plan to have that many young professionals prepared to go straight into work.”

Rachel Goehring, an animal science teacher at AmTech Career Academy, spoke about the significance of seeing students move on to the careers they have trained for. According to Goehring, about half of the students who gained certification were hired on from local businesses.

“By hiring these students in these industries, our business partners are supporting these individuals and are showing an investment in what is being done here to train students and the community as a whole,” Goehring said.

There is a lot of need for veterinary technicians in the Texas Panhandle according to Goehring, and through programs like these, students are able to fill these critical job openings. She said that for many students, this will be the first step in a career path that could be all the way up to veterinarian.

“It is really valuable to have this technician experience behind them to becoming a veterinarian, getting the animal experience that will be necessary in the field,” Goehring said. “So many people have a passion for animals with the connection that many people have with them, so this is such a wide-open field with limitless possibilities.”

Among the students who signed on to be veterinary technicians Tuesday was Rylee Hicks, who signed up for Mobility Veterinary Practice, which specializes in equine treatment. Her training to be a technician included four classes of animal science and interning with more than 300 clinical hours with the clinic.

“I have learned so much in my time working with this clinic to get my certification; I did not grow up around horses,” Hicks said. “It is so different and challenging to work with horses, and this training covers a wide range of animals.”

Hicks said that she has always had a love of animals since she started school, and it has always been her dream to work with animals.

“AmTech did an amazing job with their staff and classes to prepare me for this job,” Hicks added.

Another student moving on the next step in her career path is Zoe Killough, who has studied to be a pharmacy technician and signed Tuesday as well.

“It feels really great to be able get this opportunity, and this program puts me so much further upon my career path in medicine," Killough said. “This is valuable experience to see the effects of medication on the body, and this is such a great start to learn more.”

Killough said that the teachers at AmTech have been such a help in preparing students for a career and worked with them to be able to gain the knowledge needed to get certification.

Her instructor for pharmacy technician, AnaMarisa Bebout, spoke about the hard work being done by students in the program to prepare them for their future in a field that has many job opportunities.

“What was great about today is that, many times, schools focus on sports and where their students sign, and it shows everybody that there are great things being done with students to get them into important vocations such as this,” Bebout said. “These students leave here fully certified and are able to leave here and move into a field that is needed and pays a living wage.”

Bebout said that there is a tremendous need for pharmacists and technicians in the field. She also said this type of job gives valuable experience that can be used to propel students to go on to other things in the medical field.

“It is not a job that anybody has to worry about going away; as the population grows, there is a greater need for people to fill these jobs,” Bebout said. “These students that signed today are amazing hard-working students that I feel will be very successful in their chosen career paths.”

“What this does for our young professionals who have chosen this pathway is, it sends them off on a journey to what we call 'success city,'” Barrett said about the signing event. “It helps them know that there is a family of parents, teachers and community that are opening their arms to them. This is a celebration of their hard work and fulfilling their dreams.”

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: AmTech signing day celebrates students taking next career steps