As a young child, Niels Akkerman always had an interest in taking things apart, and helping his father repair things.
“I knew once graduating high school I wanted to enter a career that would allow me to progress in that interest and Ring Power was the perfect fit,” Akkerman said.
During high school, Niels learned about career opportunities with Ring Power while attending Central Florida Construction Career Days in Orlando. Created in 1999, the nationwide outreach program is designed to cultivate interest in high school students for a wide variety of skilled construction careers. Ring Power is a regular participant in the annual event, where students learn about careers with the company and can learn from industry veterans.
Shortly after high school, Niels enrolled in Ring Power's ThinkBIG program. The ThinkBIG diesel technician training program is a two-year, specialized program for technically minded, hands-on individuals who have a desire to work on some of the largest, most advanced construction and power generation equipment in use today. While in the program, students rotate in eight-week intervals between classroom instruction at South Georgia Technical College and hands-on training at their Ring Power branch.
Since graduating from the ThinkBIG program in 2012, Niels has held a variety of positions, including: Heavy Equipment Shop Technician, Heavy Equipment Field Service Technician, Field Service Dispatcher, and now, Field Service Foreman.
“The ThinkBIG Program at Ring Power is a wise choice for any young adult to start a great career that puts them on the path of success and growth and will elevate them to new heights, Akkerman said.
For more information on Ring Power’s ThinkBIG program, visit http://ringpower.com/thinkbig