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PHCC gets Caterpillar simulators

PHCC gets new simulators

Patrick Henry Community College recently received two new heavy equipment Caterpillar Simulators and a Caterpillar Trailer to open a heavy equipment operator program on Jan. 19.

These state-of-the-art simulators, purchased with assistance from the Higher Education Equipment Trust Fund, feature rotating motion platforms and offer a 3-D virtual reality experience that replicates real-life operating scenarios, the school said in a release.

PHCC plans to use a hybrid of online classwork and in-person training on the simulator to teach students basic operational techniques, the basics of earthmoving, and how to interpret civil drawings.

The program requires four months of training, and the school said area employers are advertising starting salaries of $18–28 per hour for full-time heavy equipment operators. Employers such as Prillaman & Pace and Henry County Public Service Authority have guaranteed job interviews to anyone who successfully completes the new program, PHCC said.
 

Tuition is $4,500, but funding sources are available that may cover up to 100% of tuition, the school said. Students who enroll in this program before Dec. 11 automatically will be entered into a drawing for gifts.

From Martinsville Bulletin