Marietta Certifying Students to Operate Bulldozers, Excavators

MARIETTA — After completing a new course at Marietta High School that trains them to operate heavy equipment like bulldozers, students will be certified to operate such equipment. And that makes them employable, Marietta High School principal Marvin Crumbs said in a talk to the Marietta Rotary Club this week.

In his talk, Crumbs discussed the Marietta College and Career Academy’s new program which provides students training in the use of heavy machinery through electronic simulators. The purpose of the course is to provide students with the necessary skills for a career on the jobsite.

“When the kids leave, we want three things ... we want you employed, enlisted or enrolled,” Crumbs said.

In total, the career academy offers 18 career courses covering topics such as computer science, culinary arts and sports medicine.

Kim Blass, the school district’s chief impact officer, and Rob Garcia, the academy’s CEO, proposed the new heavy equipment class to the Marietta school board in May and it was approved the same month.

Garcia said the board approved a $324,000 expenditure to purchase four simulators and other corresponding equipment, which will be reimbursed through a state grant. This year is the first academic year the class is available for MHS students.

The coursework requires students to complete multiple sections of the class that vary in difficulty. These sections are designed to teach them the operation of large machinery like excavators. The simulators track students’ accuracy and proficiency as they go through each section of the course. Along the way, they will earn certifications of each new skill they learn. Students must complete all sections to pass. Crumbs said the heavy equipment operator course has received lots of interest from students in its first year of operation.

“(The program) is not very prevalent, and I’m glad we got it ... it’s very unique to us,” he said.

Garcia said 26 students are enrolled in the program, a “tremendous start” for a class in its first year. He said classes can only hold a maximum of 24 students at a time.

“We had to break it into two sections, which is a great problem to have,” Garcia said. “It shows that there was a lot student interest right out the gate and that a lot of students really wanted to jump in.”

Students who successfully complete the course will have the opportunity to test their skills on a real piece of equipment during a one-day capstone event. During this capstone event, they will be tested on how well they operate real heavy machinery. If they pass the test, students will become certified heavy equipment operators.

“There are so many opportunities for high-wage, high-demand careers that don’t require a college degree ... and this is just one of many such examples,” Garcia said. “This is a great way that high schools can equip students not only with the information ... but with the skills themselves to be able to step into (roles) and go straight to work in a really critical field that our economy needs.”