In this Issue
Workforce Development Report; Optimize Simulator Training and get better results; Cat® Simulators follow the Oregon Trail; Offer Finance Options; and Advanced Hydraulic Excavator.
From the Editor
There are a lot of headlines about the lack of skilled trades, including heavy equipment operators. Has your organization been impacted? Are you able to bid on the jobs you want? Hire the right talent?
Economic forecasts are projecting an upturn in major economies around the world, which will be impacted by worker shortage and worker quality. Access the free report: “Fueling Growth Through Workforce Development” that discusses the scope and impact of the workforce shortage and proposes a solution to fill the talent pipeline with qualified operators. We’re interested to hear about your organization’s experience with finding experienced operators. Drop us a line and continue the conversation.
Operator Tip
Make sure guards are covering any and all potentially dangerous engine components. Check the guards for cracks or wear before and after each shift so that they can be replaced if needed.
Troy Bombardier
Cat Simulators Training Instructor/Design Specialist
Simformotion™ LLC
On the Road
Doug Dalton, President of Baker Technical Institute (BTI), has a dream to change the face of heavy equipment operator training in Oregon. Part of the change is integrating Cat Simulators into its operator program. Beginning with the Hydraulic Excavator and building the program with more simulators. There will be classroom training in Baker City and at the Eastern Oregon Campus in LeGrande; and a mobile unit that will go on the road this spring.
The impact will be felt further than the community of 10,000 people in Baker City. The drive from Boise, Idaho is about 2 hours and several other large communities can be found in the same region as the school. BTI will draw many people from surrounding areas into the operator training program.
Simformotion’s CEO, Ken Pflederer, and Support Analyst, Joel Montgomery, traveled the Oregon Trail to install a new Cat Simulator and conduct training at BTI. A press event was planned around the install as well, so that school and community leaders could see the simulator; and get an understanding of the training and learn how technology would fit in. When Pflederer and Montgomery left BTI, they had not only a successful install and training behind them, the two left with a new group of friends.
Montgomery compared the energy at the school to that of a snowball rolling down a mountain. “BTI is a snowball at the top of the mountain, and Ken and myself were there looking down and saw the possibilities of the momentum it could pick up. The effect on the community alone is worth the investment. But the effect on a 16-year-old-girl who works in the family ready-mix business as an operator and wants to inspire other girls to step past gender boundaries—I couldn’t help but get caught up in how inspiring it was to witness,” says Montgomery.
Editor’s Note: The Baker City Herald featured an article on Baker Technical Institute and Cat Simulators.
Finance Cat® Simulators!
Cash flow and budget constraints don’t have to keep you from integrating Cat Simulators into your training program. Now there are leasing and rental options, even deferred payment plans for qualifying customers. Put the power of simulators to work today! Ask about a financing option that’s right for your organization.
Optimize Simulator Training with SimCare
Check out our new service! SimCare ensures that your simulators are in working order and operators are continually learning and honing skills. Our trainer comes to your location and your team gets any refresher or new training needed, plus a host of other benefits including hardware and software support.
Includes
- Software updates
- Database backup
- Two site visits per year
- Equipment calibrations
- General maintenance
- Refresher training + Train-the-Trainer
- Global support
Benefits
- Improved system performance
- Reduced downtime due to maintenance issues
- Hardware and software support
- Problem resolution
- Software features explained in-depth
- Ongoing training
Contact us at 1.309.266.2640 to learn more.
Advanced Construction Excavator
Are you a company operating excavators in crowded spaces without room for error? Or are you a school training students for construction programs? Cat Simulators new Advanced Construction Excavator will train operators to maneuver in tight areas in a city building environment. The simulator system teaches how to dig footings, lay continuous pipe, use the thumb attachment, and more. Enable the exclusive Open Training option and create, or recreate, your own incidents and scenarios. The machine is equipped with Cat Grade Control that can be utilized in every exercise.
Contact an Account Manager at 1.309.266.2640 to learn more about the new Advanced Construction Excavator Simulator System.
