Wor-Wic heavy equipment students dig to success

FRUITLAND, Md. — With help from a local business and grant funds from the state and federal governments, students at Wor-Wic Community College are digging into new career opportunities through the school’s heavy equipment operator program.

It is the only program of its kind on the Eastern Shore, filling a gap in workforce training that students would otherwise have to learn on the job. Laura Williams, an instructor for the program, said the certification will give students an advantage when entering the workforce.

“We’re taking it a step further instead of just teaching the basic operations of it. They can read site plans and scale them; they know how to read an engineer’s ruler and benchmarks,” Williams said.

Students like Jyrus Johnson, who graduated from high school a year early, are paving their way to success.

“At first I didn’t know what I was doing, but now I feel like I’m really acquainted with everything. We’ve got two great instructors here, and they’ve got me confident and prepared for everything,” Johnson said.

Wor-Wic Community College transportation coordinator and instructor Mark Miciotto said the success of students like Johnson shows the program is working.

“We have one student here who is 17 years old, and there’s no stopping him once he leaves here. It makes me and Wor-Wic Community College feel very good to do what we’re doing for these students and the community,” Miciotto said.

The program’s first cohort began training in August, and interest is strong, with more than 200 applications submitted for the next class starting in January. Students in the current cohort, such as Tre Byrd, are in their final two weeks of the program and say they are confident about their progress.

“You definitely have an advanced position in whatever job you’re going to because you learn a lot during this course,” Byrd said.

The 10-week course teaches students how to operate a backhoe, bulldozer, mini excavator and skid steer loader. Instructor Leon Johnson said he is confident in students nearing the finish line.

“A couple of the guys, it’s almost like they were born in that piece of equipment because they’ve gotten so good at it,” Johnson said.

Wor-Wic Community College is in partnership with AJK Hauling, which provided all the program’s heavy equipment.