Students in OSUIT’s CAT® Dealer Prep Program, all from Kansas – standing in front of the moldboard, left to right: Drew Strunk from Newton; Clay Hunter from Howard; Tyler Stapleton from Minneola; Daniel Couey from Derby; and OSUIT instructor Stephen Murphey.  Back row left to right: OSUIT instructor Kenneth Trantham (with hand on tire).  Behind, standing on the moldboard – left to right: Marc Clary from Wichita; Nicholas Roudybush from Ellsworth; and standing on the circle -- Reagan Sellard from Bucklin.

OSUIT’s Heavy Equipment and Vehicle Institute
Receives Donation from Industry Partner

OSUIT’s CAT® Dealer Prep Program recently received a donation from Wichita, KS, based Foley Equipment Company. Foley, which is one of the program’s four training partners, donated a Caterpillar 120 M Motor Grader that will serve as a student training module.

“Donating this piece of equipment to OSUIT means that students will continue to be trained in the latest technology and be ready to benefit Foley Equipment the day they step foot on the job,” said Jon Robinson, vice president of Foley Rebuild Center. “OSUIT always produces top-notch students who understand the latest computer systems and troubleshooting aspects of working on our equipment. These technicians are vital to the success of our business.”

Caterpillar unveiled the line of M-Series motor graders in August of 2006. The 120 MMotor Grader is one of seven models in the new M-Series lineup that have set the new standard for motor grader operational efficiency.

The M-Series will replace the previous model of motor grader that was once considered the most difficult machine to operate on a construction site. The new model comes with two hydraulic joystick steering controls that replace the steering wheel and what was up to 15 levers required by the previous models.

“This machine features the most significant upgrades in Caterpillar motor graders since their inception over 80 years ago,” said CAT® Instructor Kenneth Trantham. “For them to donate such an innovative piece of equipment speaks volumes about OSUIT’s mutually beneficial relationship. With their support, our students have the opportunity to train on the latest equipment and we, in turn, provide them with outstanding workers in the future.”

The CAT® Dealer Prep Program at OSUIT is a two-year, six-semester program that leads to an Associate in Applied Science degree with a major in Caterpillar Service Technology. Foley is one of four regional CAT® dealers that support the program by donating equipment and providing students with internships and eventual job opportunities.

“When we recruit area high school students we take our best and brightest and encourage them to go through the program at OSUIT,” said Robinson. “We are willing to provide them with financial support and their own set of Caterpillar specific tools that would cost them around $10,000, because we know they will be a tremendous asset to us once they complete the program.”

Foley Equipment was established in 1942 and serves as the CAT® dealer for 49 counties in south and southwest Kansas. In addition to their Wichita headquarters, Foley operates service facilities in Dodge City and Salina. Since 1996, Foley has been a part of the CAT® Dealer Prep program, supplying jobs in these locations to OSUIT students.

For more information about OSUIT’s CAT® Dealer Prep Program, call Roy Achemire at 918.293.4724.
 
About Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology
Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology offers high-quality technical training in more than 20 technical professions, planned and guided with the support of leading companies, industries, and high technology firms. As a result, students learn the latest technical advances that meet the demanding needs of employers.

For more information call 918.293.4680 or 1.800.722.4471. Information also is available online at www.osuit.edu.

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