Washington County Students Earn Heavy Equipment Certification

High schoolers pass exams to operate bulldozers, excavators and backhoes

Apr. 7, 2026 at 2:21am

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A brightly colored, high-contrast silkscreen print of construction vehicles like bulldozers, excavators, and backhoes repeated in a tight grid pattern, capturing the technical skills and job-ready certification earned by Washington County high school students.A new generation of certified heavy equipment operators prepares to build the infrastructure of tomorrow.Tennille Today

A group of Washington County high school students have earned certification to operate heavy equipment like bulldozers, excavators and backhoes after passing their capstone exams at the Georgia Department of Transportation office in Tennille. The students trained on the machinery throughout the school year and are now ready to enter the workforce as certified heavy equipment operators.

Why it matters

This program provides Washington County students with valuable technical skills and job-ready certification, helping address workforce shortages in the construction and infrastructure industries. By earning this credential while still in high school, the students gain a competitive advantage and can transition directly into in-demand jobs upon graduation.

The details

The students completed a hands-on training program during the school year, learning to operate bulldozers, excavators, backhoes and other heavy equipment. They then took their capstone exams at the Georgia DOT office in Tennille to earn their official certifications. According to Caleb Lord, the DOT's district maintenance manager, the newly certified students can now go straight to work for the DOT or private industry partners, putting their skills to use building and repairing roads and infrastructure.

  • The students trained on the heavy equipment throughout the school year.
  • The students passed their certification exams at the Georgia DOT office in Tennille.

The players

Caleb Lord

The district maintenance manager for the Georgia Department of Transportation.

Washington County high school students

A group of students who earned heavy equipment certification after completing a training program.

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What they’re saying

“Whether they come to DOT or whether they go to one of these industry partners, it's still a win for DOT. Because if they're out there working on the highways, then we know that they know what they're supposed to be doing. So it's still a win-win. No matter what, getting them into the industry, learning the art of being an operator, that's a win for everybody.”

— Caleb Lord, District Maintenance Manager, Georgia Department of Transportation

The takeaway

This program demonstrates how high schools can partner with local industry and government agencies to provide students with in-demand technical skills and certifications, preparing them for well-paying jobs in construction, transportation, and infrastructure upon graduation.