Local charter school teaches students with heavy machinery

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Educational Opportunity Center (EOC) Charter School has a summer class bringing students out to the counties where they can learn to operate heavy machinery so they can add this experience to their job resume.

“It feels good especially like learning learning new things that’s pretty cool,” said Anthony Garcia, a student from EOC.

Students are tasked with completing ten hours of online work and over 100 hours of operating the machines.

“If they go to a construction site or warehouse they may use these types of equipment they can put they have at least 20 hours of experience on each piece of equipment,” said Brian Grossenburg, the principal at EOC.

Some of these machines include tractors, forklifts and boom lifts. 

One of the students shares how this class has benefitted him.

“I’m getting more experience and like let’s say you’re going to go work on a job site you just already have your portfolio already set up and all that and with that like people don’t want to hire kids cause they don’t really have the job experience and all that but showing them this they probably will,” said Garcia.

Another student shares why they recommend this class to others that may be bored in the class room.

“Someone may not be interest just reading all about it and can just like being in the action or being in the situation or being in that action or being hands on in the equipment or machinery,“ said Leland Ramos another student at the school.

The class goes from June 4 to June 28, but they are expecting to add three more of these classes for the next year.