The Heavy Equipment Operator Program (HEOP) is a program designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills required for the operation of 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 that is 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 in the field through job shadowing experiences and qualified candidates may continue on to participate in cooperative education experiences with local employers.