Lift and Access January–February 2025 | Page 28

Baker Technical Institute( BTI) for breaking down the intimidation factor of operating heavy equipment, especially for those with no prior experience. Whether someone is new to the industry or a woman entering a male-dominated field, simulators help build confidence. By the time students get on real equipment, they already feel capable and competitive.

Q: How does simulation influence student engagement in CTE Construction programs?

Technology, particularly simulators, greatly increases student engagement. Hands-on, projectbased learning helps students stay involved and improves retention of knowledge. When students are immersed in simulation, their brains treat it like real-world experience, making the learning more impactful.

Q: Can simulation positively impact the financial operations of construction CTE programs?

Simulators have significantly impacted our financial operations by drastically reducing costs. We’ ve used simulators from day one, so we’ ve never had to run the heavy equipment operator school without them.

Whether you’ re a construction company or a school, simulators save costs across the board— there’ s no need to burn fuel, repair equipment or pay insurance on heavy machinery. I couldn’ t imagine building a heavy equipment operator school without simulators. In fact, to get our students to the same level of proficiency using only real equipment, the costs would easily be three times higher.

As a nonprofit, we’ re always mindful of expenses, and simulators allow us to offer training at a much lower cost compared to schools that rely solely on physical equipment. Their tuition has to be higher because their operating costs are higher. For us, the use of simulators keeps costs lower, whether it’ s for students, companies that hire us or schools that partner with us.

There is, of course, an upfront investment in the simulators, but over a decade or more, the return on investment is remarkable. Simulators are absolutely worth the investment, and I’ d encourage any school considering them to explore grant funding or other financial resources. Plus, they allow us to be mobile, which means we can provide training across a broad region. We save on diesel costs and don’ t have to transport heavy equipment, but we’ re still able to serve customers across five states.

In fact, I would argue that simulators drive our entire business model, enabling us to grow by 40 % a year and reach more people. So not only are they cost-effective, but they also fuel our growth and ability to help both people and companies.

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