Melanie Jamison is finally settling into her role as the new Clark County Area Technology Center principal. She started Nov. 1.

Jamison said so far, everyone in Clark County has been supportive.

“There’s a huge support system for education. I can’t say enough about that,” she said.

Jamison most recently was the principal at the Montgomery County Area Technology Center.  She was at Montgomery County since 2011 after she transferred from Mason County ATC, where she had worked since 2001 as a business and marketing education teacher, then principal.

Jamison started her ATC career as a student-teacher at the Montgomery County ATC. This year will be her 19th year in education.

Before her studies in education, Jamison worked as a pharmacy technician at the University of Kentucky and at Mary Chiles Hospital.

“I kind of came into education later,” Jamison said. “… I had worked in the medical field for years until I decided to go back to school… I was one of those nontraditional students.”

Jamison attended Morehead State University for her bachelor’s in business and marketing education and a master’s in school leadership and administration

“Once I started in the Area Technology Center, I realized how important career and technical education was and how much I really love that,” Jamison said.

Jamison is a lifelong resident of Bath County, has been married for 32 years. When not working, enjoys being outside — especially on the water — and reading. She and her husband also enjoy traveling and boating.

As the ATC principal, Jamison is involved in the overall administration of the building, staff and students.

“A part of that is working with the community, making the community contacts and trying to establish those relationships, secure areas for our students to go out and do work-based learning,” she said.

Jamison said she loves seeing students progress throughout school and beyond.

“From the time they come in to when they discover what kind of pathway they want to be on to graduation and beyond,” she said. “I’m always excited when students get to come back in and tell me about what they’re doing, what’s going on with their lives.”

Jamison is also an advocate for career and technical education; she wants others to understand how important it is to offer ATC programs to students.

“When we talk to the workforce out here, they say they need qualified workers,” Jamison said. “… And that’s what we’re trying to provide to them… We definitely want to be able to provide for our community.”

Jamison said she hopes to see Clark County ATC grow and evolve its programs as the community identifies gaps in its workforce.

“I hope to continue to work with all the district administrators, all the personnel, try to work together on that and see what fits best,” she said.