Alicia Whitt
High School: Hamburg High School  •  Age: 24
Training: Arkansas Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (FAME) Apprenticeship at the University of Arkansas at Monticello College of Technology—Crossett
Degree: Pursuing an Associate Degree in Advanced Manufacturing Technology
Employer: Georgia-Pacific in Crossett

“There will always be jobs in manufacturing and production. The types of jobs will change with technology, but all you need is experience and continuous education. This program gives me such a broad spectrum of knowledge. My only limits are the ones that I create for myself.”

THIS OPTION IS FOR YOU IF...

√ You are comfortable with digital media
√ You have effective one-on-one communication skills
√ You are a natural-born problem-solver

What does an operator or operating technician do?
Operators or operating technicians, specifically chemical plant operators, operate equipment in a chemical processing facility. They maintain and inspect the equipment as well as the products to ensure the plant is running efficiently and keeping to safety standards.

Responsibilities

• Operate chemical plant equipment to ensure peak performance
• Supervise samples and chemical reactions
• Communicate with personnel to keep products to standards
• Monitor and calibrate equipment to specifications
• Maneuver raw materials and end products

MORE FROM Alicia

Why four-year college wasn’t for me…
 “I tried going to college and working part time, but my daughter did not get enough time with me. I tried going to college and not working, but the financial struggle negatively affected my grades. I tried working and not going to college, but I constantly wondered how I would ever move up in a career without a college education.”

High-end earners (top 10%) make
$87,060

Average Wages in Arkansas
$53,130 - Annual | $25.54 - Hourly

TRAINING PROGRAMS
Northwest Technical Institute
Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas at Fort Smith-College of Applied Science & Technology

READY TO HIRE YOU!
Caterpillar
CenterPoint Energy
Georgia-Pacific
Lexicon
McKee Foods Corporation
Nucor Steel Arkansas
Nucor-Yamato
Pace Industries
Tyson Foods
Wabash National

SOURCES: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics  / PayScale  / Gregory Taylor

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