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Anthony Worley (right, front) and Andrew Stamper (right, back), both Lee County High School students, grind metal before welding it in Central Carolina Community College's Caterpillar Youth Apprenticeship Program welding class. Visiting the welding shop at the college's Lee County Campus to see the progress students are making are (from left, back) CCCC President Bud Marchant, Lee County Schools Superintendent Jeff Moss, and CCCC Board of Trustees Chairman Julian Philpott. Also observing the grinding are (center, from left) students James Kirik, of Lee County High, and Ashley Stack, of Southern Lee High School; welding instructor Charles Bell; and student Biagio Espositio, of Southern Lee. The college, school district, Caterpillar, Inc., and the N.C. Department of Labor are partnering in the apprenticeship program to train selected high school students for careers in welding. When students complete the two-year program, they will be skilled entry-level welders, ready to be hired by Caterpillar or other industries.

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Lee County High School student Briana Peterman practices gas tungsten arc welding in the Caterpillar Youth Apprenticeship Program's welding class at Central Carolina Community College's Lee County Campus. The apprenticeship program is a collaborative effort of the college, Lee County Schools, Caterpillar Inc.'s Sanford Fabrication Facility, and the N.C. Department of Labor. When students complete the two-year program, they will be skilled entry-level welders, ready to be hired by Caterpillar or other industries.