June 23, 2003

ROCK HILL—At a press conference on Wednesday, June 25, York Technical College will officially announce James River Equipment Inc. as a major new partner in its Heavy Equipment Operator Training program. Since 2001, the Heavy Equipment Operator Training Program—with help from existing partners Chester County, Blanchard Machinery Company, Matthews Construction Company, and the Carolinas Branch of the Association of General Contractors—this innovative program has provided quality, specialized training in the operation of heavy construction equipment.

The event will begin at the 10:30 a.m. at the James River Equipment dealership at 380 N. Anderson Rd. in Rock Hill.

James River Equipment is a regional leader in the sale and service of John Deere brand equipment. The company, which has been recognized with the John Deere Partners in Excellence Award for four years in a row, operates in more than a dozen locations in Virginia and both Carolinas.

York Technical College’s Heavy Equipment Operator Training Program operates on a 26-acre site in the Chester County Industrial Park. The program offers students nationally-recognized curricula developed by the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER). The curricula consist of modular, competency-based courses designed by industry experts and taught by NCCER accredited instructors. By giving men and women recognized, marketable skills, the program and the partnerships that created it make a solid contribution to the economic development of our region and our state.