Applied learning that allows students to gain hands-on experiences is key to the education students at Alfred State receive. Students in the Heavy Equipment Operations major got their hands right into a real-world experience with the annual water main break simulation.
Students were called into action by their professors and sprang into action in the middle of the night. Two groups worked on separate simulations that tested the student’s ability to handle an emergency. The groups worked together, with guidance from their professors to plan, outline the problem, and figure out the scope of work needed to mitigate the issue and repair the lines.
This is one of many simulations that Alfred State students participate in yearly. Earlier this semester Heavy Equipment Operations students participated in a trench collapse simulation alongside local emergency crews.
Students learned firsthand that planning and communication are the first two steps to execution during emergency situations. Simulations like this allow students to get their hands dirty and be part of the solution.