GETAWAY — Heavy equipment rolled on to the main campus of Collins Career Technical Center last week, but not for the reason you may think.

Collins is rolling out a new program for high school students this year. The new Heavy Equipment Operation and Maintenance Program is now available for juniors and seniors in Lawrence County.

Along with the heavy equipment, there are two high end heavy equipment simulators for students to train on before climbing on live equipment. The purchase of this equipment was made possible through a grant awarded to Collins through the Ohio Valley Regional Development Commission. In the coming weeks, the heavy equipment will be relocated to the 100-acre farm complex owned by Collins. This is where the hands-on training portion of this program will take place.

Collins is hopeful within the next year that this program will also roll out on the adult education side of their operation. The training received will closely mirror the training received by apprentices participating in the Ohio Operating Engineers Apprenticeship program and align with a preapprenticeship available for qualifying students.