CAGC is pleased to announce our long-standing member, Triangle Grading and Paving, is partnering with Alamance Community College to launch an inaugural Heavy Equipment Operator certificate program on January 28, 2019. This will be a 3-part program for Heavy Equipment Operation that can lead to a NCCER journey-level assessment and certification. This introductory course is designed to provide even the most novice student a practical understanding of basic heavy equipment operation. Student participants will learn the essential skills of earth moving, digging, trenching and loading, in addition to heavy equipment safety, preventive maintenance, and construction site fundamentals.

Based in Burlington, North Carolina, Triangle Grading and Paving provides public, federal and private construction services across the Southeast. The company was founded by the late R.G. “Ronnie” Kirkpatrick and has been in business since 1980. Triangle performs turnkey solutions for a diverse range of projects from large federal site projects and public landfills to major municipal water and sewer and downtown streetscapes for cities. They specialize in large site work for manufacturers, highway projects for North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) throughout the state, and airport runway extensions.

James Kirkpatrick of Triangle Grading and Paving said, “Ronnie was passionate about educating folks on the importance of hands-on training. He realized the key to the success of our company, and the sustainability of the industry, relied on training more qualified people. He wanted to start his own heavy equipment operator school to develop his company’s most valuable asset—its people. That’s why Triangle Grading and Paving is honored, and so very proud, to be sponsoring this first-ever Heavy Equipment Operator training program at Alamance Community College to preserve Ronnie’s legacy.” The company has donated the land on Kirkpatrick Road to the College for use to provide tactical field experience, as well as land on Alamance Road in Burlington, NC which will house the classroom building to teach the HEO program.

The new HEO program at Alamance is being instructed by Shari Thompson, a resident of Wendell, NC. Shari is the proud mother of two daughters, a registered Nursing Assistant, a certified Heavy Equipment Operator and is currently completing her last semester in an Associate’s Degree program in Entrepreneurship and Business Management in Construction Service. Ms. Thompson is thrilled to be selected as the instructor for this inaugural HEO program stating: “I just love the rush I still get from being around heavy equipment and even when passing it while driving. Heavy equipment operations is an ongoing necessity and I look forward to contributing to and passing on what knowledge and passion I have for it.” Gary Saunders, Vice President of Workforce Development at Alamance Community College said, “Our College is very excited to be partnering with Triangle Paving and Grading to offer a Heavy Equipment Operator Program for the Triad region.”

For more information on Triangle Grading and Paving, please visit their website at www.trianglegradingpaving.com or contact James Kirkpatrick via email at jkirkpatrick@tgandp.com. To learn more about the new Heavy Equipment Operator program being offered at Alamance Community College, please contact Gary Saunders via email at gary.saunders@alamancecc.edu or visit their website at www.alamancecc.edu.