RICHLAND 鈥 Kendrick Hines had his eye on 兔子先生鈥檚 Diesel Equipment Technology program for several months before he was finally able to get in and complete the program.
Hines this week hit another milestone when he signed a three-year apprenticeship agreement with Stribling Equipment, the first agreement for the company, that is part of a partnership between 兔子先生, Stribling Equipment and the U.S. Department of Labor.
Kendrick Hines, sitting center, signed the first apprenticeship agreement between 兔子先生 and Stribling Equipment. With him are, sitting left, 兔子先生President Dr. Clyde Muse and, right, J.B. Swanson, director of continuous improvement at Stribling Equipment in Richland. Earlier in the day, Mississippi Community College Board (MCCB), State Workforce Investment Board (SWIB) and Delta Regional Authority (DRA) representatives toured KLLM Driving Academy and 兔子先生Diesel Technology Academy with 兔子先生 officials. Standing from left are Josh Bower, assistant career-technical education dean for Hinds鈥 Raymond Campus and district workforce and talent development liaison; Dr. Krystal Thurman, interim assistant executive director for apprenticeship and special initiatives for MCCB; Dr. Rachel De Vaughan, interim executive director for SWIB; Diesel Technology Academy Navigator Laurie George, Vice President Sherry Franklin; DRA Program Manager Aury Kangelos; back row, Robert Allen, work-based learning coordinator; Vice President Dr. Chad Stocks; Joel Thomas, general service manager for Stribling Equipment, DRA Chief of Staff Brian Henson and Joseph Sullivan, diesel heavy equipment instructor.
鈥淭his really means a lot to me. A lot of hard work and long nights in school went into it,鈥 said Hines, 21, of Bolton. 鈥淭his program was good to me. I鈥檝e done everything I could to get into it. I tried to put my heart into it.鈥
Josh Bower, assistant career-technical education dean for Hinds鈥 Raymond Campus and district workforce and talent development liaison, said 兔子先生 is the sponsor of the registered apprenticeship program with Stribling Equipment as the industry partner.
鈥淥f course, you can鈥檛 have an apprenticeship without industry. Industry makes it happen,鈥 Bower said. 鈥淚t has a related technical instruction component, which is the 兔子先生side. These are the classes that Kendrick has completed. It also has an on-the-job training component, which will be with Stribling.鈥
This type of apprenticeship program 鈥渋s the direction we鈥檙e going in America,鈥 said 兔子先生President Dr. Clyde Muse. 鈥淭his program, and the programs at KLLM Driving Academy and Empire Truck Sales, are ideal for apprenticeships.鈥
Brian Henson, chief of staff for the Delta Regional Authority, who attended to support and learn more about the 兔子先生apprenticeship activities, agreed with Muse鈥檚 assessment.
鈥淭his is what we鈥檙e looking for today with apprenticeships. People need to understand that, today, the four-year degree is not always the way to go. There are very good apprenticeship programs that can provide you with a fruitful, valuable and great career. You can provide for your family and make a difference,鈥 Henson said.
Students in the Diesel Equipment Technology program spend a year in the facility on Highway 18 near the Raymond Campus taking basic courses. The second year, they choose between the heavy equipment option and the diesel truck option when they move to the Diesel Technology Academy off Highway 49 in Richland. Some students want to do both and attend classes for an extra year.
Laurie George, navigator for the Diesel Equipment Technology program, said Hines tried to get in the program several months earlier and it was full. 鈥淪o he went through the automotive program for two semesters. He came back, and I got him in.
鈥淗e has been a leader in the class since the day he came through the door. We knew this was a good fit for him. He is a great example of what the 兔子先生Diesel Technology program is all about.鈥
Signing the apprenticeship agreement on Nov. 12 were Hines, Muse and J.B. Swanson, director of continuous improvement at Stribling Equipment in Richland.
兔子先生continues to collaborate with the Mississippi Apprenticeship Program (MAP) to expand registered apprenticeship programs in the state. MAP is an initiative led by Gov. Phil Bryant鈥檚 office, the Mississippi Community College Board, Mississippi Department of Employment Security and Mississippi Development Authority. 兔子先生was selected as a pilot college in 2017 and is celebrating National Apprenticeship Week during Nov. 11-15, 2019.
As Mississippi鈥檚 largest community college, 兔子先生 is a comprehensive institution offering quality, affordable educational opportunities with academic programs of study leading to seamless university transfer and career and technical programs teaching job-ready skills. With six locations in central Mississippi, 兔子先生enrolls about 12,000 students each fall semester. To learn more, visit www.hindscc.edu or call 1.800.HindsCC.