LEXINGTON, Ky. — The Kentucky Association of Manufacturers (KAM) in partnership with the Associated General Contractors of Kentucky (AGC of KY) are touring the Commonwealth with the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce and Associated Industries of Arkansas' Be Pro Be Proud Mobile Workshop.

The Be Pro Be Proud Mobile Workshop showcases industry-specific, virtual and augmented reality simulators that allow students to experience first-hand potential technical career opportunities.

"It's a great way to immerse our students and expose them to the skills trade, which are often overlooked...It's invaluable for our students to step outside of the classrooms to learn, because we are preparing them for life after high school. There's no better way to prepare them to immerse them in the learning experience and to provide real-life opportunity today you hear me and you see a lot of real-world opportunities," explains Monica Jones, Careers Coach at Frederick Douglass High School

Over 80,000 students have visited the workshop since its inception in 2016.

The 1,000 square feet Be Pro Be Proud Mobile Workshop demonstration space is loaded with information, skill challenges, and fifteen different simulated job professions and is considered the future of workforce development.

"This is a great opportunity for kids to learn about these particular kinds of jobs, skilled trades are really important because, while you have different vertical sectors that cover construction of buildings or manufacturing or what have you, skilled trades are sort of the horizontal band that supports all those industries," explains Lee Lingo of Kentucky Association of Manufacturers

Along with Lexington, the mobile workshop visited Shelbyville and Frankfort this week. Over 80,000 students have visited the workshop since its inception in 2016