Industry Partners Raise Money for Heavy Equipment Operator Program

Last fall Vulcan Materials Company spearheaded efforts to raise more than $66,000 to support the College’s Heavy Equipment Operator training program.

Vulcan, in conjunction with 50 industry partners across the State, raised $66,561 at its second annual South Carolina Clay Shoot October 8 at the Clinton House Plantation.

The 2019 Clay Shoot sponsors ($1500–$3500) included:

Blanchard Machinery, Mellott Company, NORX, South Carolina Aggregates Association (SCAA), Vulcan Materials, Blythe, JC Wilkie, LLC, King Asphalt, Lehigh Hanson, Sloan Construction, Nelson Brothers, LLC, Bridgestone, Herbert Anderson Jr. Construction, Linder Industrial Machinery, Lindler’s Construction of SC, LLC, Macemore, Inc., McClam & Associates, Metromont, Motion Industries and Thomas Concrete. The 2019 Clay Shoot sponsors ($500 - $1000) included:

Concrete Supply Company, Contour Mining & Const., LLC, FLSmidth (Excel), Kerns Trucking, Inc., McCarthy Tire, Morgan Corporation, Superior Cranes, Inc., Upland Wings, Archer United JV, Carolina Ready Mixed Concrete Assoc (CRMCA), CR Jackson, Holder Padgett Littlejohn & Prickett, LLC, Satterfield Construction, Southway Crane & Rigging, Applied Industrial Tech/Continental/ Loctite, Austin Powder, Auto Lube Services, Crowe’s Corporate Promotions, JC Griffin Construction LLC, LA Barrier & Son, Paschal Associates, LLC, American Materials Company, Elite Trucking of SC, LLC, Jim Belt, Inc., NW White, Ray Walker Trucking Co., Inc., Rinker Materials, Rogers Group, SCAPA, Stutts & Williams and Vibra-Tech. Prompted by a need to secure employees with a specific skill set, Vulcan Materials organized the first clay shoot fundraiser in 2018 to raise money to purchase equipment for the Heavy Equipment Operator program.

The inaugural event raised $47,000, and those proceeds were used to match the College’s capital expense funds to obtain a $235,705 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission to launch the training program.

The national credential-based Heavy Equipment Operator training is meeting the critical workforce needs in road construction, commercial construction, mining, and transportation companies in Anderson, Oconee, and Pickens counties.

“The goal of the Heavy Equipment Operator program is to serve as a talent pipeline for the construction and mining industries that are facing the loss of a large population of skilled operators who are preparing to retire in the next several years,” said Mike Sanders, transportation program manager for our Corporate and Community Education (CCE) Division.

“Graduates of our program can begin to train for these jobs in all facets of the construction and mining industries. This is the first step in a career pathway that, over time, can lead to a lucrative lifetime profession,” added Mike.

“With just an eight-week training commitment, these individuals will be qualified for in-demand, entry-level jobs,” said Dr. Rick Cothran, dean of the CCE Division.

“There is not another Heavy Equipment Operator training program in the Upstate,” said Rick. “Tri-County’s program will give individuals the basic skills so they can understand and learn to safely operate heavy equipment.”

For more information, contact Julia Lee at jlee42@tctc.edu or 646-1707. Dr. DeHay, front row, fourth from left, and Elliott Botzis, vice president and general manager for Vulcan Materials SC, front row, fifth from left, gathered with industry partners and College officials to celebrate the $66,561 raised at Vulcan’s second annual South Carolina Clay Shoot. The funds will support the Heavy Equipment Operator training program for the Corporate and Community Education (CCE) Division. Pictured with them from left are (front row) Julia Lee, training coordinator, CCE Division; Jessica Palmer, Carolinas Ready-Mix Concrete Association; Mary Corley, program manager, highway construction, CCE Division; Carol Landrum, manager of government and community relations, southeast division, Vulcan Materials; and Beverly Estes, sales coordinator for Vulcan Materials; and (back row) Grayson Kelly, the College’s vice president for Institutional Advancement and Business Relations; Henry Martin, vice president and general manager for Thomas Concrete SC; Dan Cooper, the College’s chief of staff; Jesse McClam, McClam and Associates, Mike Sanders, transportation program manager, CCE Division; Neal Barber, SC quality manager for LeHigh Hanson; and Dr. Rick Cothran, dean of the College’s CCE Division.