​On Wednesday December 4, 2019 Fourteen High School High Tech Students from Madison County High School toured the Caterpillar Facility in Athens, Ga.
 
At Caterpillar, Joni Robinson (Supervisor – Athens Customer Center) provided the tour for the students.  The Caterpillar facility in Athens opened in 2013 and currently has approximately 1500 employees. Caterpillar has facilities throughout the world and the company is continuing to expand.
 
Ms. Robinson talked with the students about the importance of graduating from high school. She stated that their entry level positions required a High School Diploma or GED. She discussed in detail the importance of safety and teamwork at Caterpillar to the students and gave numerous examples throughout the tour. She explained the three things they look for in potential employees – positive attitude, work ethic, and teamwork. She said if you have these characteristics they can teach you the specific job requirements. During the tour the students saw the production of Caterpillar’s Skid Steer and Bulldozers. They were able to see a straight flow (assembly) line and auto-guided vehicles. The students saw numerous employment opportunities that are available at Caterpillar. Some were assembly, welding, fabrication, painting, lift truck operators, quality control, logistics-shipping, machining, warehousing, and management.
 
The students were very engaged and impressed with the production and assembly of the Caterpillar equipment, the overall business operation, and the Caterpillar facility.