Athens Technical College - Spotlight
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Diesel program nurtures partnership with Yancey Brothers
Four recent graduates of Athens Technical College’s Diesel Equipment Technology program are now working at Caterpillar equipment dealer
Yancey Brothers Co.’s Dacula facility thanks to a promising new partnership between Yancey Brothers and the college.
Yancey Brothers, based in Austell, is the nation’s oldest Caterpillar dealer and serves as Georgia’s sole authorized dealer for new Caterpillar
equipment. In addition, the company sells used CAT machines, and rents, services, repairs, and rebuilds CAT products. Yancey Brothers operates 41
sales and service centers in Georgia and one in Alabama, and is a major employer in Georgia.
Earlier this year, when a delegation from Athens Technical College’s Diesel Equipment Technology program was visiting the Yancey
Brothers Austell headquarters, the company’s corporate training manager, Jim Larson, told the college officials that his company had immediate
openings for entry-level technicians.
Charles Dawson, program chair for Athens Technical College’s Diesel Equipment Technology program that is taught at the college’s Elbert
County Campus, in turn invited Yancey Brothers executives to visit the college and view the Diesel Equipment Technology lab and the program
curriculum. Those two events led Mr. Dawson and Yancey Brothers to cultivate a partnership between the college and the company.
The relationship led to Yancey Brothers hiring Dustin Ogletree, Blake Petersen, Tony Smith, and David Riggs, all graduates of the Diesel
Equipment Technology program at Athens Technical College.
The new partnership between Athens Technical College and Yancey Bros. will provide a variety of benefits for the Diesel Equipment
Technology program, including access to Caterpillar’s computer-based Service Information System, instructor-training on Caterpillar products and
systems, donated and/or loaned equipment, assistance with student recruitment by marketing the College’s Diesel Equipment Technology program on
the Yancey Bros.’ website, referrals to the college’s program, Yancey Brothers representation on the Diesel Equipment Technology program
advisory committee, and employment interviews for program graduates who meet Yancey Brothers’ hiring criteria and business needs.
“This is an important partnership for the Diesel Equipment Technology program, and I commend Mr. Dawson for bringing it to fruition,”
Athens Technical College President Flora Tydings said in acknowledging the new relationship with Yancey Brothers. “This partnership was made
possible because the Diesel Equipment Technology program meets the high industry standards and expectations of employers like Yancey Brothers.”
The college offers several advantages to Yancey Brothers as well, said Yancey Brothers’ Jim Larson.
“Athens Technical College has a great facility, a great program and great people working with us,” Mr. Larson said. “Meeting Charles
Dawson made it work. Once we got there, we found that the program was kind of that jewel on the crown and everything we want to be a part of.”
The college’s Elbert County Campus provides a convenient location relative to several Yancey Brothers facilities, including the Dacula site
and those in the Augusta area. Mr. Larson said.
“The Diesel Equipment Technology program is located strategically for us in the center of four of our locations,” Mr. Larson said.
The relationship with Yancey Brothers will provide a nice advantage for Athens Technical College in terms of keeping up with new
developments in Caterpillar systems and designs, Mr. Dawson said.
“Yancey Brothers will give our instructors and students the opportunity to stay current with advancing technology in the diesel equipment
field, particularly with changes in Caterpillar machines,” Mr. Dawson said.
Photo Caption: Left to right, Jim Larson Yancey Brothers corporate training manager; Scott Nash, Yancey Brothers corporate product support representative; Larry Siefferman,
vice president off-campus operations for Athens Technical College; Charles Dawson, Athens Technical College program chair for diesel equipment technology; Dr. Flora W.
Tydings, president of Athens Technical College; Blake Petersen, Yancey Brothers technician and ATC graduate; David Riggs, Yancey Brothers technician and ATC graduate;
Tony Smith, Yancey Brothers technician and ATC graduate; and Jim Stephenson, Yancey Brothers owner and president posed recently for a photo during a visit by Athens
http://www.athenstech.edu/Spotlight.cfm?i=405
10/19/2012
Athens Technical College - Spotlight
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Technical College officials to the company’s Dacula sales and service center.
Don Nelson
706 227-5460
Athens Technical College * 800 US Hwy 29 North * Athens, Ga * 30601 * 706-355-5000 * A Unit of the Technical College System of Georgia
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10/19/2012
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