Tractors are a vital part of the farming industry, so it is also a very valuable part of the training that Sampson Community College offers through its Applied Animal Science program.
“Tractors are the most common type of equipment on farms today,” says Chet Bass, Department Chair for the Applied Animal Science and Agribusiness Departments. “Many young people are not accustomed to operating them unless they happen to grow up on a farm. Students and employees need training in proper and safe operation of the tractor before being allowed to use it for their safety and those around the farm.”
Students were completing the requirements of the national safe tractor and machinery operation program certification. This is a 24- hour instructional program to cover not only tractor safety, but safety in general around other types of farm equipment. Tractors, power takeoff implements, skid steers, forklifts, and ATVs are all types of equipment that may be found on farms today that students need a basic understanding of how to operate safely.
Bass says the importance cannot be understated in this discipline. “For something like this, it is extremely important for the student to have an opportunity to have hands on training in a supervised setting,” he says. “This training allows the students to receive necessary training for safe operation as well as a certification that may help them in securing a higher-level job opportunity.”
The Applied Animal Science program at SCC is designed to prepare students for careers in the production, processing, and distribution of livestock, swine, and poultry and their products to scientific principles essential to efficient and profitable operation. Students will learn skills necessary for the operation of efficient and profitable livestock, swine, and poultry enterprises. To learn more about Applied Animal Science at the college, contact Bass at cbass@sampsoncc.edu or at 910.900.4027.
About Sampson Community College: Sampson Community College is a member of the North Carolina Community College System, located in Clinton, NC in Sampson County. The college offers many programs to include two-year degrees, college transfer, continuing education and workforce development options and early college education. SCC is committed to the principles of equal educational and employment opportunities for all.
