Shortly after she finished high school, Shea Matthias remembers seeing a woman driving a dump truck in her home community of Stebbins. She thought, “I want to do that.” Shea knew then, that it could be an opportunity for her in the future.
A few years ago, with the BIA road project between Stebbins and St. Michael, Shea got in the driver’s seat of a large dump truck and started on her path toward driving heavy equipment.
Kawerak’s recent Heavy Equipment Operator training held in Nome created more opportunities for Shea to build skills on a variety of different machines. She and her partner Benny Atchak both attended the class with the support of Kawerak training scholarships. Shea said she and Benny enjoyed the opportunity to learn together.
“It was a really fun experience for both of us because we got to watch each other train, and it was our first time training for this kind of heavy equipment,” she said.
Shea said they each put in time training on the grader, skid steer and excavator. And with this experience, they’ll be more valuable to help with projects in Stebbins for the summer construction season.
Throughout the three days of simulator training, students checked off skills on different types of heavy equipment.
Kawerak’s Workforce Development Program sponsored March’s Heavy Equipment Operator training and its success can be credited to great partnerships with NACTEC and Bering Straits Native Corporation. Kawerak offered scholarships that covered travel, lodging and per diem for students to attend. Once here, participants then were ready to sharpen their skills. They spent three days with NACTEC’s CAT simulators and two days transitioning what they practiced virtually to real life on equipment with BSNC.
Kawerak’s Regional Training Manager James Isabell said this training can be very valuable to residents in the region. Students use the opportunity in different ways, from putting their skills to use back in their home community or moving on with further operator training utilizing Kawerak Vocational Training Scholarships.
James says Kawerak works to provide support to regional residents for vocational training. Whether you’re developing a brand new skill or you’re building on previous training, working toward the goal is worthwhile.
“I would encourage everyone to apply for these trainings. There funding and job opportunities available for our region,” he said.
Shea said her goal is to get a driver’s license and CDL, which would open job opportunities in other locations as well, like Nome and Anchorage. But for now, back home in Stebbins, Shea and Benny are examples to their son and daughter and other kids. Bringing these skills back home shows that they can set goals and achieve them.
“It may seem scary at first, but you should try different things in your life, because we are not young forever. Try to do different things while you can and get different perspectives,” Shea said.
Heavy Equipment Operator training is offered through Kawerak’s Workforce Development program in the Construction Trades Pathway. Are you interested in training? Connect with James Isabell at Kawerak to learn more about upcoming training opportunities and how to apply! Email: jisabell@kawerak.org / Call: 907-443-4391 / Visit: www.kawerak.org/training.
