In response to local demand, high school students in Georgia now have access to training on heavy equipment operation.
The State Board of Education approved the new courses recommended by State School Superintendent Richard Woods in December. Students began coursework during the spring semester and will begin the new school year with the second course for the career pathway.
The pathway is composed of three courses:
By working directly with business and industry partners to develop the curriculum, the Georgia Department of Education’s Career, Technical and Agricultural Education (CTAE) team was able to ensure that students have hands-on, up-to-date opportunities to gain high-demand career skills as part of their K-12 education.
The Toombs County School System contacted GaDOE to propose a pathway that would prepare students for entry-level careers in heavy equipment operations. The courses were developed with feedback from industry representatives from Flint Energy Company, McClendon Enterprises and others, as well as Southeastern Technical College, the Construction Education Foundation of Georgia (CEFGA), and Toombs County Schools.
“Here in Georgia, we have taken a new approach to developing our CTAE curriculum and standards,” says Tim Elliott, CTAE program specialist for architecture, construction, communications and transportation. “We go straight to the industry professionals in all our pathways to see what needs they have for incoming employees. We listen to those needs and design the curriculum around those needs in collaboration with our school systems, administrators, directors and teachers.”
Beyond technical career training, students will also receive training on softer skills, designed to make them better employees.
