GREAT NEW PROGRAM Beginning in Iredell-Statesville Schools ...
A new program starting at the Iredell-Statesville Schools' Career Academy and Technical School next month promises to deliver real world experience.
Iredell-Statesville Schools' heavy equipment diesel training program will become the sixth different tract available at CATS. Another program starting in August, iACADEMY, the district’s first virtual high school, represents the seventh option for students at the Troutman school.
The heavy equipment program is an extension of CATS’ transportation technology offerings. Within its automotive technology program, which is the school’s most popular, there are already courses on collision repair, auto repair and motorcycle repair. The heavy equipment class will allow students to work on larger machines and vehicles that operate with diesel engines.
CATS instructor Martin Page said installing the diesel class “just fits what we’re doing.” He called it “taking another step … so our kids have the best chance of going out and finding employment opportunities.”
“We’re looking two-fold,” said Page. “We’re trying to get them ready for post-secondary education or where they can go out and get an entry-level job.”
Page said the heavy equipment class would teach students about hydraulics, air brakes, welding, cutting, metal working and preventative maintenance. Local businesses have donated the cabs of three tractor trailers, one of which still runs, for training. There will be other smaller farm and transportation related equipment as well.
Page said there would be some class and book work, but that students would be spending most of their time repairing and learning about equipment.
“We’re hoping to have a hands-on, very real experience-based program,” Page said.
Those who choose to enroll will, like all CATS’ courses, spend half their school day in the program. There is also a prerequisite requirement that students must take at their home high school before being allowed at CATS.
In an attempt to educate students at a younger age as to their choices at CATS, I-SS started holding career days at middle schools last year.
“We’re finding out a lot of people don’t know exactly what we’re doing down here,” said Rogers.
The heavy equipment class will be housed in a 17,000-square-foot warehouse that is currently being renovated. The district is in the midst of spending $120,000 to insulate and fix up a shell building that once held the kilns of Thomasville Furniture when it owned the property.
I-SS partnerships coordinator Susie Wiberg expressed a feeling that there may be a big advantage for college bound students. The skills being taught at the school allow students to earn living salaries right out of high school.
“You just really need to be able to convince parents as well, and sometimes that’s harder than the students,” said Wiberg.
In addition to this program there are already several other great programs currently in place within the Iredell-Statesville School System. They include: Allied Health (in which students earn a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) license), Culinary Arts (in which students earn ServSafe certification), Television News Production and Photography/Digital Film Production, Fire Technology and the iACADEMY.
*Excerpts taken from original article written by Preston Spencer and published in the Mooresville Tribune
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