Cave City High School Students apply skills at UACCB Gateway Center

Career Center students from Cave City High School are applying their skills this summer at the Gateway Center at University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville (UACCB). UACCB has spent the past few months rehabilitating the property at 2210 E. Main St. in Batesville, which was recently purchased with the support of community partners. One key improvement was the driveway and parking. The College utilized an existing workforce grant to have 80 loads of gravel delivered. The high school students in the Compact Heavy Equipment program were able to do much of the work.

The Compact Heavy Equipment program is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to operate and maintain heavy equipment such as bulldozers, backhoes, loaders, and excavators. Through a combination of classroom instruction and hands-on training, students develop a thorough understanding of equipment operations, safety procedures, and proper maintenance techniques.

"We are extremely proud of our students who have completed the Compact Heavy Equipment program," said Dr. Zach Harber, Dean of Workforce Education, "This program provides a valuable learning experience for our students, and we are pleased to offer it as part of our secondary area career center.”

The following students completed the program this year: Lane Hatfield, Landen (Bo) Hatfield, Jeremy Reynolds, Billy Musick, and Jadyn Stauffer.

The Career Center provides high school students with the opportunity to get relevant workforce training starting in the 10th grade. Completing one of the programs in Cybersecurity, Emergency Medical Services, Engineering and Production Design, Health Professions, Heavy/Compact Equipment, Industrial Technology, or Pre-Nursing enables students to enter the workforce immediately following high school or to continue that career pathway at UACCB.

The Career Center program is completely free for high school students enrolled at Batesville, Cave City, Cedar Ridge, Concord, Hillcrest, and Southside. For more information visit www.uaccb.edu/scc or talk to your school's counselor or career coach.