Construction Technology Program Receives New Simulation Equipment

In a program like Construction Technology, providing hands-on experience before students start their internship or enter the workforce can be a challenge. Thanks to a grant from the Office of Skills Development and a donation from the Arkansas Contractor Licensing Board, students now have a safe environment to learn heavy equipment operation and test their skills. 

The Cat ® Simulator, now installed in Technology Building II, features interchangeable controls so that students can learn how to operate a variety of heavy equipment. The simulator also mimics the movement students would feel if they were in the cab of heavy equipment: tilting up as they go up an incline, shifting as they dig with the excavator, and vibrating with the rumble of the engine. All of this helps students experience what it’s like to operate this equipment in a safe, supervised space.

The simulator also serves as an evaluation tool. Construction Technology instructor, Aaron Hill, can see what skills students struggle with and help them improve. “This new teaching tool allows us to send students into the workforce with muscle memory of the controls and engrained safety practices,” Hill said. “We are thankful for the opportunity to give our students and employers a leg-up when it comes to heavy equipment operation.”