CorporateTraining

One Chapter Ends, Another Begins for Think Big Students

Think Big Graduates Niels Akkerman & John Harrison

On June 5, Niels Akkerman, John Hugo and John Harrison graduated from the Think Big Program.

The two-year, hands-on service technician scholarship program is offered by Ring Power and five other Southeast Cat dealers in partnership with South Georgia Technical College in Americus, Ga. Akkerman, Hugo and Harrison were the 12th group to graduate from the program since its launch in 2000.

Akkerman, an honor graduate, was inspired to get into the program after attending Construction Career Days as a high school student in Orlando. Construction Career Days, a hands-on event Ring Power’s training department participates in every year, introduces students to the wide range of career opportunities available in the construction industry. Akkerman is now a Heavy Equipment Service Tech based at Ring Power’s Orlando branch. Hugo and Harrison are both working as Heavy Equipment Service Techs in St. Augustine.

Left to right: Thomas 'Cody' Mitchko,Patrick Fortunato, Austin DuBois and Kyle Schumacher. Cameron Lankford (pictured separately) was unable to attend the signing.

As group 12 finishes their Think Big journey, Group 14 is just getting started. Thomas 'Cody' Mitchko, Patrick Fortunato, Austin DuBois, Kyle Schumacher and Cameron Lankford make up the class of 2016.  A “signing day” was held for them at Ring Power’s corporate headquarters in St. Augustine on June 30, marking the official start of their Think Big journey. Over the next two years, the students will rotate in eight-week intervals between classroom instruction at South Georgia Technical College and hands-on training at Ring Power.

Mitchko, DuBois, Schumacher and Lankford will intern in St. Augustine under Jason Bickerstaff. Fortunato will intern in Tallahassee under George Long.

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