For Immediate Release

Media Contact:
Sandy Mitchell, Baker Technical Institute, sandy.mitchell@bakersd.org, 541-524-2651

Local high school students get the opportunity to gain valuable career skills in a growing industry

July 19, 2021PRINEVILLE, OR – Baker Technical Institute (BTI) is pleased to announce a partnership with Crook County School District to provide specialized training for local students. Over the next few weeks, high school students in Prineville will learn to operate heavy equipment and become more familiar with the workforce needs of a thriving industry.

This training will allow students to become certified on heavy construction equipment such as graders, dozers, excavators, skid steers, and loaders. Students will learn both in the BTI mobile high-tech CAT simulator classroom and in the field running equipment side by side with our experienced instructors. In addition to operation, students will learn safety and preventative maintenance through exercises such as detailed machine walk-arounds.

“We are thrilled to be able to provide this opportunity for the students of Crook County High School,” says Doug Dalton, BTI President. “Students have lost so much this past year and a half, especially when it comes to hands-on learning like career and technical courses. Crook County did better than most when it comes to keeping students involved, but it still was far from a normal learning environment. The goal of this training is to get these students a valuable certification and position them to enter the construction workforce in a high wage career. This is a career path that so many students from our rural communities want to pursue versus an expensive traditional college route. The trades are an outstanding option right now with wages and benefits higher than ever, and the least amount of people entering the field,” stated Dalton.

“Crook County School District is committed to growing our Career & Technical Education programs and providing opportunities for students to gain real-world experience that prepares them for life beyond high school. We are excited about the partnership with BTI and look forward to taking our CTE offerings to the next level,” said Crook County School District Superintendent, Dr. Sara Johnson.

The next heavy equipment operator course for the public is scheduled for September, and registration is now open. For more information about BTI courses or to enroll in one of the various other programs, visit bakerti.org or call 541-524-2651 and talk to an enrollment specialist or student success coach.

About Baker Technical Institute
Baker Technical Institute (BTI) is a leading provider of Career Technical Education programs focused on developing the next generation of skilled workers, technology innovators, entrepreneurs, and community leaders in rural communities. Headquartered in Baker City, Oregon, BTI offers cutting-edge education and training, leading to certification in high-wage, high-demand careers, such as agricultural sciences, building trades, natural resources/environmental sciences, engineering, health services, welding, heavy equipment operation, truck driving, and manufacturing. For more information, go to bakerti.org.