News Release

YANMAR’s partnership with the Cherokee County school district

On November 6th the EVO//Center and Academy welcomed 30 Etowah High School students to our “Building Brighter Futures” program.
As a supplement to Etowah High’s “Intro to Construction” course offering, this program was a manifestation of the EVO//Center’s commitment to educating younger generations on the importance of learning a trade and working the land.

“YANMAR’s partnership with the Cherokee County school district has fostered a relationship with students not typically seen with a global corporation,” YANMAR Academy developer Erik Herring said. “The EVO//Center has opened its doors to allow students the ability to garner knowledge and experience related to YANMAR’s agriculture and compact equipment industries.”

Five break-out sessions were organized and led by YANMAR America trainers, division experts, and local business partners. The sessions included Electrical Trouble Shooting, Construction Equipment Overview, Agriculture Overview, Construction Management, and Equipment Demonstrations. These sessions allowed the students to experience all that the construction and agriculture industries have to offer in a tangible and visual way.

“It is always a pleasure to speak with younger generations that are mechanically minded and excited to pursue careers in the construction industry,” CE Attachments Engineer, Joey Queen said. “These students will sustain the future of the ever-growing infrastructure of America. I was very pleased to see the enthusiasm of these young people.”

The exciting, hands-on program focused on multiple different career pathways involved in the construction and agriculture industries, as well as YANMAR history, technical and safety training, and lunch on the EVO//Center’s 3-acre demo field.

The Building Brighter Futures event truly displayed what is possible when multiple YANMAR America divisions and facilities, local businesses in the industry, and community educational professionals come together with one common goal. The work and organizational efforts put into the event did not go unnoticed or unappreciated.

“Our visit to YANMAR was outstanding,” Etowah High School teacher Brandon Chester said. “Our students loved learning about all the careers and being able to operate the equipment. I have never seen so many smiles on their faces. We definitely plan on visiting again!”

The EVO//Center is proud of our continually growing partnerships with local businesses. Carroll Daniel Construction Group donated time and energy to host a breakout session that covered different facets of construction management. Etowah High School was made aware of the EVO//Center’s educational programs by YANMAR customer R&D Mechanical. R&D Mechanical also runs the Matiak Foundation, a local community program that focuses on giving teens the tools-for-success to prepare them for a future in the world of skilled trade.

“Our mission is to ultimately partner with individuals who are seeking an opportunity with an organization who has an opportunity,” owner of R&D Mechanical, Heath Matiak said. “In most cases they are not always aware of each other and their potential. Events like ‘Building Brighter Futures’ are mechanisms to help shine a light on and create exposure for everyone's benefit.”

The EVO//Center and YANMAR Academy look forward to continued educational outreach programs.
“We are already planning ways to make the ‘Building Brighter Futures’ field trip even better for 2020,” EVO//Center Marketing Coordinator April Zoby said. “We are excited to support and bring awareness to our industry – an industry that supports a sustainable society for all.”

• Note: Information contained in the news release is valid at the time of publication and may differ from the most recently available information.