CATALYST Program | Carroll County students get a head start using heavy equipment | Steam

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Some high schoolers in Carroll County are learning to drive bobcats before they're old enough to drive a car thanks to a new simulator.

"It feels like you're in a real piece of machinery," Carroll County High School senior Johnathan Abrams said.

It's not often you find a high school senior excited to go to class. However, ever since Carroll County High School rolled out a new program, Johnathan Abrams looks forward to learning.

"The joysticks feels in a real bobcat," Abrams said when asked to describe the simulator. "The buckets feel the same, the movements, everything."

It's part of a new transportation and logistics learning pathway called CATALYST. That stands for Carroll Area Transportation and Logistics Youth Simulation Training.

Carroll County High School CATALYST — Carroll County High School rolled out a new transportation and logistics learning pathway called CATALYST.
Jennifer Willhoite

"Heavy equipment operators are kind of like the catalyst for getting anything done in our area," said Jeff Fremin, the school's community liaison.

The program will directly help Abrams with his future career.

"Right now, I want to go to a union or something, and do construction or carpentry," Abrams said.

The classes only hold a handful of students at a time, so they each get plenty of opportunities to use this simulator. The students say it feels like they're on a real construction site.

"This particular simulator is the only one that has overhead crane simulator," Fremin said.

Some students practice driving the heavy machinery before they're old enough to learn to drive a car.

"If you're new to driving and you're not as experienced, it'll help you with that," sophomore Caleb Snipes said.

From bobcats to dump trucks, these students practice loading steel coils onto truck beds and moving dirt. They're then graded on accuracy and speed.

"It's going to make them more employable at our local industries," Fremin said. "Not only at in the manufacturing industries, but also in construction."

For these students, the fun is in the work. It creates friendly competitions while building job skills.

"It's a nice opportunity for people to learn and see if they really like it," Abrams said.

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CATALYST Program | Carroll County students get a head start using heavy equipment