[Clinton, N.C.] – During the week of March 10, Sampson Community College’s (SCC) Heavy Equipment Operator (HEO) program visited the GFL Environmental – Sampson Landfill. This valuable hands-on experience is made possible through the ongoing partnership between SCC and GFL Environmental—who have collaborated on various efforts over the years.

At the site, students had the opportunity to work one-on-one with highly experienced operators on new equipment. SCC and GFL recognize the growing demand for skilled operators, as the industry faces a wave of retirements from seasoned professionals– creating widespread job openings. Experiences such as this are a continuation of their shared commitment to workforce development.

Joseph Smith, General Manager of GFL Environmental, shared, “Student operators were able to get hands on experience operating a D5 Cat Dozer, 349 CAT Excavator, and A40 Off-Road Volvo Dump Trucks during this training period. GFL and Sampson Community College have been in partnership for the last 2 classes and look forward in teaching this class of future Heavy Equipment Operators for as long as we can help teach our community leaders the trade that we do so good with each day.”

Lead HEO Instructor, Ashley Grimes, regularly works with industry partners to give students exposure to the wide range of career opportunities available in the field. 

He echoed, “Having this kind of industry exposure is invaluable – it opens students’ eyes to the wide range of career paths available to equipment operators, not just here in Sampson County, but across North Carolina and nationwide. Many of our students come into the program with little to no understanding of what a career in heavy equipment operation actually entails. Experiences like this help them see their future, build confidence, and understand how their skills can be used in real-world opportunities in construction.”

From heavy construction and landscaping to industrial, residential, and waste management, the field of HEO is full of opportunity. One graduate, Juan Rodriguez, has already found success through the partnership with GFL, and many more have secured local positions within the workforce.

Smith closed,“It was our pleasure to be able to recruit and hire from the first training class Juan Rodriguez, which is now working with GFL as a Heavy Equipment Operator and is doing an outstanding job for us! Great work and hats off to the teachers at the College, this is a great program, and we love being a part of giving back to the community.”

To register for the next class, contact Katelyn O’Neal at 910-592-7176. Seats are limited and fill quickly.

For more information about the program, visit http://www.sampsoncc.edu/heo.

Amanda Bradshaw contributed to this article.

About Sampson Community College:  Sampson Community College is a member of the North Carolina Community College System, located in Clinton, NC in Sampson County. The college offers many programs to include two-year degrees, college transfer, continuing education and workforce development options and early college education. SCC is committed to the principles of equal educational and employment opportunities for all.