As one of the leading agricultural and industrial equipment manufacturers in the country, Vermeer Corporation takes pride not only in producing high quality equipment but also providing training so the equipment can be operated at a high level. When it became clear that Vermeer needed support to make their Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) Circuit® training an accredited program, their first call was to DMACC to learn about their options.
HDD is a highly technical skill and Vermeer wanted to provide their customers with additional education opportunities – they wanted to train customers on how to locate underground obstacles and drill operation. They started working on a curriculum and in 2015 where they began to provide training to some customers. Folks were coming to Vermeer and learning – hands-on – how to drill and use the Vermeer equipment. Eventually though, it became clear that the program was growing larger than what Vermeer could internally handle. That was when DMACC stepped in.
By working with DMACC and transitioning their training program to an accredited program through DMACC, Vermeer opened a lot of doors. DMACC Business Resources and Continuing Education partnered to handle the registration, enrollment, payment, and scheduling while Vermeer could focus on training. Becoming accredited also meant that funding opportunities were available for the companies buying equipment – employees getting trained could access educational funding. Accreditation also means that individuals who have been through the program are certified by DMACC and recognized for the training they have achieved. They are HDD trained and this simple thing can lead to pay increases or promotions.
HDD is still a relatively new skill that workers are learning. Because Vermeer is working with DMACC and has built an accredited program, they are helping set some of these industry standards as they go – something that those working on this training at Vermeer take incredibly seriously.
This training has remained wildly popular with sessions consistently selling out, and Vermeer doesn't see it slowing down. They have now started to look at other training opportunities they could offer their customers – something that wouldn't have been on the horizon without their partnership with DMACC.