In 2017, when Boyd Cat invested in a full‑motion Cat® Simulators system, the goal was simple: provide customers and partners with a hands‑on way to explore equipment operation, strengthen training, and build confidence before stepping into real machines. What began as a shared resource among a handful of customer partners has grown into a powerful tool for workforce development, customer engagement and community impact.
A Dealer’s Vision for Hands‑On Learning
Justin Jacobs, Boyd Cat Product Application Specialist, has supported the simulator program since its earliest days. His role spans production studies, fleet matching and technology integration, yet the simulator remains one of the most versatile tools in his toolkit.
“We originally purchased the simulator with several customer partners,” he explained. “The idea was to give them access, let them get familiar with it, and see how it could support their training needs.”
The system Boyd Cat purchased is a full-motion simulator that can be easily converted to an Excavator or Dozer. While the dealership now uses it primarily for events, demonstrations and new-employee familiarization, its greatest impact has come from how customers have adopted it — especially among customers like Cleary Construction.
Cleary Construction: Turning Simulation into Workforce Strength
One of the earliest and most enthusiastic adopters of the Cat Simulators system was Cleary Construction, a third‑generation company with a nearly all‑Cat fleet dating back to the late 1980s. When Cleary began exploring ways to grow its workforce, Cat Simulators quickly became the cornerstone of a new approach.
Carter Walden, Cleary’s CTO and Director of Workforce Development, joined the company in 2017, when it employed just 45 people. Today, the company has grown to 450, and Walden credits much of that expansion to Cleary Academy, the workforce pipeline launched in 2018.
“We were getting maybe one application a month,” recalled Walden. “We had foremen who were 55 to 60 years old, and we needed a better way to build our workforce.”
As a Monroe County school board member, Walden saw local students leaving the region without job opportunities. Cleary Academy changed that. High school seniors can now spend part of each school day at Cleary, earning certifications, learning jobsite fundamentals and training on Cat Simulators before ever stepping into a real machine.
Simulation as the Foundation of Training
For Cleary, the simulator is more than a training tool. It is the gateway to a construction career.
“The simulator is a big part of what we were doing,” said Walden. “If I didn’t have it, it would take me twice as long and cost a lot more money.”
Students train on the simulator for 30 minutes every day over two to three months. The motion system replicates the feel of a full‑size Excavator, helping students build confidence and muscle memory.
“When they get on the real machine, they aren’t freaking out. They’re accustomed to the movements, the controls, everything,” explained Walden, adding that the simulator also eliminates fuel costs, reduces machine wear, and enables Cleary to train multiple students safely and consistently, a critical advantage when working with 17- and 18-year-olds.
A Recruitment Magnet Across Kentucky
Cleary and Boyd Cat often partner at career fairs, construction days, and community events across Kentucky, using the Cat Simulators system to attract students.
“If I just take a TV, you have to go out into the aisle and grab them,” said Walden. “When I take the simulator, the counselors come around telling the students, ‘Hey, you need to go talk to other people too.’”
The result is a steady pipeline of young talent. Today, more than one-fourth of Cleary’s workforce is between 18 and 25 years old, many of whom first encountered the company through simulator-based outreach.
Apprentices to Foremen: Real Careers, Real Advancement
Cleary Academy has produced 38 graduates so far, with a 72% retention rate. The program is on track to reach 50 graduates this year. The outcome speaks for itself. Walden’s first apprentice in 2019 — the program’s only student that year — is now a foreman at age 25, earning the same pay level once reserved for workers twice his age.
Many graduates continue in Cleary’s internship program and then pursue construction management degrees at Western Kentucky University, Murray State University or Eastern Kentucky University. Several have returned as project managers, completing the full pipeline from high school trainee to professional leadership.
Expanding Impact Through Education: Bowling Green Area Technical Center
Boyd Cat has also helped place Cat Simulators in educational programs across the region. One standout example is the Bowling Green Area Technical Center (ATC), which operates six Cat Simulators as part of its heavy equipment training program.
“The director there is a veteran and runs a strong program,” explained Jacobs. “They use the simulators to train actual operators, and it’s been incredibly successful.”
By integrating simulation into the classroom, the ATC gives students early exposure to real‑world skills, preparing them for apprenticeships, technical college programs and direct‑hire opportunities. Boyd Cat’s support has helped the Center build one of the region’s most robust high‑school‑level operator pipelines.
A Tool for Training, Marketing and Customer Connection
Within Boyd Cat itself, the simulator serves multiple purposes. It draws crowds at expos and events, helps new employees — especially rental representatives — understand how to operate machines and strengthens customer conversations.
“Who doesn’t love Cat Simulators?” asked Jacobs with a smile.
Over the years, Boyd Cat has also helped place simulators with state agencies, schools, and training divisions, including the West Virginia Department of Highways. Each placement expands the reach of simulation‑based training and strengthens the operator pipeline throughout the region.
A Partnership‑Driven Approach to Workforce Development
What makes Boyd Cat’s story unique is the partnership at its core. The dealership invested in the simulator not only for its own use but also to support customers and communities. Cleary Construction made it a cornerstone of apprentice development, and Bowling Green ATC built a full operator-training program around it. Boyd Cat continues to champion Cat Simulators as a training tool for safety, skill-building and industry growth.
The result is a network of operators—students, apprentices and new hires—who enter the field with confidence, competence and a strong connection to Boyd Cat, Cleary Construction and Bowling Green Area Technical Center, the organizations that helped them get there.
