TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — "They're all hiring," Tim Wood, Pima JTED's Heavy Equipment Operations instructor, said about the need for heavy equipment operators. "Every construction job whether its house pads or a shopping mall or whatever has to start with a foundation," Wood said.
The Pima JTED program gives high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to become certified heavy equipment operators.
"I didn't really know what I wanted to do coming into my senior year of high school," Adrian Enriquez said.
Enriquez was a graduate of the JTED program in 2018. His certifications gave him the opportunity to work while he figured out what he wanted to do.
Now, he goes to college part-time while continuing to make money as an operator.
"It's just a great opportunity to get these kids into an industry that is starving for employees," Wood said.
The Pima JTED Heavy Equipment Operations program works closely with companies like Granite Construction and Rumble Construction. They also work closely with the University of Arizona and Caterpillar.
The program meets two nights a week for four hours and then works on project sites twice a month.
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