Leadership Summit team graduates first D1 class
of certified equipment operators

Last year, a team focused on improving equipment training offered to new operators won the problem-solving category in the Leadership Summit for their partnership with a North Idaho school. 

Team members (listed below story) came together to find a way to fill a critical knowledge and experience gap for many hires new to ITD and worked with Kootenai Technical Education Campus to develop a curriculum of 80 hours of training in the field and in the classroom around dump trucks, loaders and plows, followed by on-the-job training and a test to be certified.

The certification process ensures ITD employees are both competent and safe while at work.

Just this month, the team’s vision for improved onboarding came to fruition in District 1 with the graduation of seven transportation technicians for the second tier of training centered on a mini excavator and a backhoe. The course graduates are listed in the photo above the story and are shown training at the Athol shed.

“As someone who had limited experience with heavy equipment prior to being hired on at ITD, I found the equipment operator course to be helpful,” Athol TTO and program graduate Paul Canen said. “The seat-time in the equipment and the hands-on training by knowledgeable instructors was beneficial in gaining the confidence and experience to operate safely and efficiently on Idaho’s highways.”

Leadership team members included: Steve Spoor, Shannon Thornton, Bud Converse, Tony Loomer, Amanda Regnier, JR Grotjohn, Eric Copeland, Jason Fisher, Michelle Doane, Mike Stowell, Bob Schumacher and formerly Jesse Barrus.

 

Published 09-20-19