OCEAN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY -The Ocean County Vocational Technical School (OCVTS) proudly hosted a craft advisory meeting with its attention geared towards their New Heavy Equipment Operator (HEOP) Program on Thursday, October 22nd. The OCVTS school district shared information about the New HEOP Program, the opportunities it will provide its students, and its potential to support the industry with a pipeline of talent.

Local Businesses in attendance at the Craft Advisory Meeting included Earle Company, Shore Builders Association, Highway Equipment Company, Terminal Construction, Esposito Construction, Eosso Brothers Paving, Monmouth Ocean Development Council, Monmouth County Vocational School District, and Hunterdon County Vocational School District.

The OCVTS School District hosts two levels of advisories. The General Advisory Committee and the Craft Advisory Committee. General Advisories are comprised of local community members, industry professionals, educators, parents, and students. The general advisory mission is to serve as a liaison between community stakeholders and the vocational school, providing valuable insight and feedback in areas such as curriculum, instruction, and program development.
The Craft Advisories provide more specific input on each "craft" or profession's current and emerging demands.
The goal is to align the program's curriculum and equipment with what is current in the industry. Through this collaboration between vocational-technical instructors and industry affiliates, they are able to create a seamless transition from the educational world to the workforce.

With the theme of this month's Craft Advisory Meeting focusing on the New state-of-the-art Heavy Equipment Operator Program, it was sure to draw many businesses and industry professionals throughout the community. The meeting featured a tour of the HEOP Program, allowing attendees to test drive in-class simulators and experience authentic learning in action. The meeting's agenda looked closely at big picture topics, such as recent program developments and vision for the future of OCVTS, planning, and development of the Heavy Equipment Operator Program, recruiting and the crucial role of the industry, pre-apprentice and apprenticeship opportunities, job placement, advisory feedback and recommendations for program improvement.

The Heavy Equipment Operator Program (HEOP) is a pre-apprentice program designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills required to operate heavy equipment in accordance with industry standards. The students will be able to recognize the technical competencies in the major classifications of heavy equipment. Students will be engaged in industry-relevant, hands-on instruction aligned with the National Center for Construction Education Research (NCCER) Heavy Equipment Operations curriculum. Skills will be further developed through the use of state of the art in-class simulators and authentic learning opportunities in which students will operate actual machinery. Throughout the program, students will be provided the opportunity to learn through job shadowing experiences. Qualified candidates may continue to participate in cooperative education experiences with local employers.

About Ocean County Vocational Technical School
Ocean County Vocational-Technical School provides an intensive and immersive educational experience aligned with the current and emerging demands of business, industry, and advanced education. We instill the knowledge, skills, and competencies required for students to experience success in entering the workforce, advancing along a career pathway, and achieving career aspirations. Please visit www.ocvts.org to learn more.