Forklift donation a boost to Alfred State program

Thanks to the support of partners such as SwiftLift, Alfred State is able to offer its students some very valuable educational learning opportunities, the latest of which comes through the donation of a Toyota electric forklift.

SwiftLift, a leading supplier of material handling solutions based out of Victor, donated the forklift to the college’s School of Applied Technology campus in Wellsville to be used primarily in the two-year heavy equipment, truck & diesel technician program. The company had previously donated a Toyota propane forklift to Alfred State.

Steven Jacobi, assistant professor in the Alfred State Automotive Trades Department, said this sort of equipment opens up more job opportunities for students. He also noted how thankful the college is for its ongoing partnership with SwiftLift.

“With this electric forklift, we will be able to implement an electric curriculum for heavy-duty equipment, and introduce new job-based tasks,” Jacobi said. “We are excited to have and continue the partnership with SwiftLift for the additional educational opportunities they help us provide through their donations. Our students have an opportunity to gain more skills, which they will need in their career paths.”

Tom Edwards, owner of SwiftLift, noted that after attending two career fairs at Alfred State, he was very impressed with the quality of the college’s students.

“SwiftLift currently has two Alfred State graduates who have been excellent technicians,” he said. “We look forward to continuing to work with Alfred State students and faculty.”

The college program includes 1,800 hours of practical experience and classroom training designed to prepare students to enter the dynamic field of heavy equipment maintenance and repair. Students receive a strong foundation on all types of vehicles during their freshman year, followed by a year of concentration on trucks, bulldozers, earthmovers, farm tractors, and other diesel-powered equipment during their senior year.