The Joint Technical Education District will launch a new heavy-equipment operations program.
The program, which is set to be offered starting in the fall of 2016, is a partnership between JTED and the Sahuarita Unified School District. Students will learn basic background in construction skills and how to operate heavy equipment with classroom and hands-on training.
βItβs an opportunity for students to make a very livable wage after completing the program,β said Tamara Nicolosi, director of central campuses for JTED.
A showcase in January will offer prospective students and their parents a glimpse at the program. The event will be held at Walden Grove High School, 15510 S. Sahuarita Park Road, on Thursday, Jan. 14, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
When it begins, the heavy-equipment operations program will be offered twice a week at Walden Grove and twice a week in a Tucson-area high school, the location of which has not been determined, Nicolosi said.
The program will prepare students for their National Center for Construction Education and Research core, Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Mine Safety and Health Administration certificates, she said.
An advisory comprising educators, town of Sahuarita, businesses, JTED and the University of Arizona was formed to build the program, she said. The local business community expressed interest in developing a skilled heavy equipment operations workforce.
Building this program is part of a process to aligning the missions of various groups, including schools and businesses, said Manuel Valenzuela, superintendent of Sahuarita schools, which is a partner in the program.
βWe believe itβs going to provide great promise for students and also the economic development of the area and the overall quality of life for all who live and work here,β he said.
