Math Maniacs

When you picture a stereotypical math whiz, what do you see? An absent-minded professor with Einstein hair? A reclusive Rain Man hiding in the garage? A burly Appalachian coal miner?

That’s right—it’s time to update your image of Kentucky coal miners. On the job, they operate and troubleshoot sophisticated equipment that hones their math and engineering skills.

And as more and more jobs are lost from coal mining, savvy entrepreneurs have discovered that former miners possess many of the skills vital for advanced manufacturing.

A variety of training and development programs have emerged to assist in the skills transition. One example: eKentucky Advanced Manufacturing Institute, a specialized training program designed to increase the existing skills of former coal workers for advanced manufacturing jobs. Trainees learn Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machining—running the highly technical computers that operate lathes, routers, grinders, and other machines that build high-precision parts for the US manufacturing industry.

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