Americus, Ga.—Three students in the Diesel Equipment Technology program at South Georgia Technical College (SGTC) were awarded the South Georgia Technical College Foundation Caterpillar Excellence Scholarships recently in recognition of their hard work, work ethics and grade point averages. They were recommended by instructors Chase Shannon and David Cox.
Sergio Perez of Americus, Austin Rouse of Cordele and Levi Williams of Butler, were the students selected to receive the Caterpillar Excellence Scholarships. Each student received $1666 from the scholarship to purchase tools for their chosen career field.
All three of the students expressed their appreciation to Caterpillar and the South Georgia Technical College Foundation for the opportunity to receive these scholarships. Even though they have not completed the program yet, each student is already working in this field.
Sergio Perez will be the first in his family to complete a college education. “Being a student at South Georgia Technical College has been a great experience that I never imagined I would have. The help and support that I have received not only from my peers but also my instructors David Cox and Chase Shannon has been exceptional,” said Perez.
“I have always known that I wanted to enter the field of mechanics, specifically diesel mechanics. Growing up I had the opportunity of helping my dad with the work that he would do on either vehicles or heavy equipment. But I have never owned my own tools. I have always had to search around my father’s toolbox to find the exact tools that are necessary for each job. With this scholarship, I will be able to purchase my own tools.”
Perez was recommended for a job while he was still enrolled in the program and after graduation, he is hoping to continue as a full-time employee. He also said that if anyone is interested in this career, they “should definitely go for and enroll. You will be glad you did.”
Austin Rouse of Cordele is currently in his last semester of the Diesel and Heavy Equipment Technology program at SGTC and he is excited to be cross the finish line. “At 27, going back to school was a pretty scary thought. I wasn’t even sure if it was possible. But with the help of my wife and the instructors and staff at South Georgia Technical College they made a way for me that I never thought was possible.”
Rouse, who is a happily married man with a family, began working full-time at the OSB mill in Cordele as a production worker at age 19. His job included working 12-hour swing shifts and occasional mandatory overtime. He continued to move up the ladder, but there seemed to be little to no chance of landing a day shift job, so he realized he wanted to make a career change so he could spend more time with his family.
He has always had a passion for being outdoors, especially on the water. “Being on a boat was second nature with my dad and two brothers whether it was off shore on the coast of Florida or back in the swamps of the Flint River. Everyone always tells me to do what you love and you will never work another day in your life,” said Rouse, who added that working on boats and engines would be a dream come true for him.
He began researching schools that offered such classes and was surprised there wasn’t many choices. But he learned that the South Georgia Technical College campus in Americus had an excellent diesel program. So, he talked with Instructor David Cox and made the jump and enrolled.
He was able to continue working full-time at night and travel to Americus to take day classes. He had a burning desire to give himself and his family a better life and he describes this chapter of his life as “nothing but amazing. The training and instruction were as advertised and did not disappoint. It had the perfect mix of in-class instruction and the hands-on work in the shop. My instructors went above and beyond to work around my schedule and give me the tools I needed to succeed, not only at school but beyond graduation.
“I cannot express the gratitude I have for everyone making this happen for me and how excited I am to begin this next chapter in my life. Thankfully due to the HOPE Grant and scholarships, the time I spent here only cost me sleep and a slight rise in fuel costs from week to week.”
The third student recognized was Levi Williams of Butler. Williams is a dual enrollment student, who will graduate from the SGTC Diesel program before he receives his high school diploma. “While in high school, I was told about a fast track dual enrollment plan. I looked into the program and finished my high school prerequisites and came to South Georgia Technical College to pursue my dream career.
“This option allowed me to jump ahead and pursue my career faster and complete both high school and technical college at the same time. South Georgia Technical College is a popular institution that I have always heard about and I knew it was a good institution to attend because it has good ratings. I have friends who have been very happy attending here and I knew this was the right place for me,” said Williams.
Not long after Williams enrolled, he landed his first diesel mechanic job and the instructors were able to work with his schedule and help him to continue his education while working part-time.
“Both of the instructors are great educators. They explain everything in great detail and always make sure we don’t have any questions before moving on. When I got here and got settled, I knew I had made a great decision to come and pursue my education at South Georgia Technical College. I am very excited about my career and pathway as a diesel technician,” said Williams.
Even though all three students enrolled at different stages of their lives, they have each already been offered employment in their chosen fields even before graduation. The cooperation between their employers and their instructors made it easy for them to continue to pursue their dreams.
And now thanks to the CAT Excellence scholarship, each student will have his own tools that will provide them a great foundation for the career of a lifetime. The current estimated starting pay for entry-level diesel technicians is around $46,000 per year and the job outlook for the next five years is expected to grow by nearly 10 percent.
“These students exemplify and personify all of the qualities we look for in a scholarship recipient,” said South Georgia Technical College Foundation Executive Director and VP of Institutional Advancement Su Ann Bird. “We appreciate Caterpillar for the funds to be able to award these scholarships to these outstanding diesel technicians.”
Chase Shannon and David Cox, SGTC Diesel Equipment Technology Instructors, also praised the students. “These students are hard workers. They have good work ethics, they enjoy challenges and they are very observant,” said Shannon. Cox agreed and said “These three students have what it takes to succeed in life. They are always asking questions and when they finish one task, they ask what else we have for them to do or learn about.”
Students were selected for this scholarship based on instructor recommendation, academic achievement, test scores, and interview. Funding for these scholarships is made available by the SGTC Foundation through donations made by the Caterpillar Excellence Fund. The partnership with Caterpillar addresses the need for qualified Diesel Equipment technicians and assists students who have made achievements in the Diesel field.
South Georgia Technical College is currently accepting students for Summer Semester. Classes start May 22 and individuals can apply on online at www.southgatech.edu. Registration is planned for May 20.
Individuals interested in the Diesel Equipment Technology program can contact Chase Shannon at cshannon@southgatech.edu or David Cox at david.cox@southgatech.edu and individuals can apply on online at www.southgatech.edu.