College launches Earn & Learn style partnership with ASCO Equipment

Amarillo College has launched a unique employee-training partnership with ASCO Equipment that gives ASCO employees the opportunity to earn Level I certificates in diesel technology without leaving their workplace to do so.

ASCO is a provider of heavy construction and material-handling equipment throughout Texas, Oklahoma and Eastern New Mexico. The partnership, which involves a 16-week course of study, is initially being piloted at 8 of ASCO’s 27 locations in accordance with the College’s work-based earn-and-learn model.

ASCO employees who enroll in the certificate program will participate in a hybrid course of study – during their normal working hours – with lectures delivered virtually by AC faculty, and with competency-based learning experiences being coordinated by ASCO’s subject-matter experts (SMEs) at each participating dealership.

“The fact that this learning model is replicable and scalable for training multiple students in multiple locations is what makes it so appealing,” Michelle Lamons, AC’s senior director of adult education and academic innovation, said.

“Through this partnership the company is investing in its workforce, empowering them to earn as they learn without having to leave their jobs to do it. And the Level I certificates they earn will be stackable, which means they can be foundationally applied to additional credentials and associate degrees they may choose to pursue at the College,” she said. “We’re very excited about this.”

The partnership officially got up and running today (Monday, July 17) when SMEs from all eight participating ASCO locations attended a professional development seminar at AC’s Washington Street Campus. Should the pilot program achieve the sort of results ASCO and the College are anticipating, the partnership might then be extended to additional ASCO locations.