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The Lowndes County Career Technical Center is preparing to bring new skills training to the classroom in October. Three instructors recently completed training which will enable them to transfer the new skills into local classrooms.

Through a partnership with Trenholm State Community College, the career technical skills faculty members were certified in occupational skills training and earned certificates in Heavy Equipment Operator – Skid Steer Aug. 28 – 29 at the college’s Montgomery campus. Shameka Baker, Dan Davis and Kelsey Thomas completed online training, then attended two-day, in person classes for a hands-on learning experience at the controls of a skid steer.

Thomas said the three completed the certification to bring additional job training into Lowndes County classrooms.

“We’re going to offer it to students later in the school year, probably around October,” Thomas said. “This is the first year that we have offered this career readiness indicator for the students. It’s one of those things that students will need in order to graduate and another option they have to gain a career tech certification.”

Lowndes County Public Schools career tech center instructors will partner with Trenholm to offer the training to students, Thomas added.

“Trenholm instructors will come down here to Lowndes County, so we will do student training here,” Thomas said. “The experience will give the students a real-world certification they can go out and use after high school. They can use it to actually go to work for different companies that use the equipment.”

According to Thomas, the initiative began over the summer. As teachers met to plan the year, he mentioned having seen where other school systems offered the training and, after reaching out to the college, learned the opportunity was available for Lowndes County.

“This is something that’s kind of new, that’s rolling out throughout the state,” Thomas said. “We’re kind of on the front end of that curve. Only a few other school systems have done this.”

The training will be offered to second-year students as part of the agriscience program. Davis, who administers the modern manufacturing program, said the training may be opened up later to students in the manufacturing program.

“We’ve been thinking about that, but nothing is concrete yet,” Davis said. “I went ahead and took the course so when that does happen, I’ll be ready.”