March 2007

(Austin, TX) - Approximately 2,000 fifth graders from both rural and urban area schools attended the Region 13 Education Service Center’s inaugural Careers on Wheels Day on Dec. 9 in Austin, Texas.

Spearheaded by the Region 13 Education Service Center, which is an extension of the Texas Education Agency, the event was designed to spark local students’ interest in various industries and occupations.

Designed to expose children to careers that involve wheeled-equipment, several different vehicles were present at the event, including a helicopter, SWAT van, blood mobile, boat, cement trucks, patrol cars, military vehicles, dump trucks, remote control and solar vehicles, along with many more. Zachry provided two hydraulic excavator simulators that were manned by Training Coordinator Lynn McKinnie and Equipment Superintendent of Technology John Kennemer. The simulators provided students an up-close and personal experience with construction equipment.

“The event was a great success,” McKinnie said. “Having firsthand exposure to some of the most advanced construction operating equipment in the industry and being able to really feel what it’s like to operate an excavation machine was an invaluable experience for these students.”

“Careers on Wheels was an important event for Zachry,” McKinnie said. “It gave open-minded fifth graders an exciting new career avenue to think about and possibly pursue in the future.”

The Region 13 Education Service Center is a non-regulatory agency that provides educational services to Central Texas teachers and administrators in more than 60 school districts by offering training and consulting seminars for both federal and state programs.

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