Brunswick Community College awarded $600,000 for heavy equipment training

BOLIVIA, NC (WWAY) — Brunswick Community College has been awarded a $600,000 grant to launch a heavy equipment operator training program in partnership with Southeastern Community College.

The funding comes through the North Carolina Community College System’s 2026 High-Cost Workforce Start-Up Grant initiative. BCC says the regional partnership is one of two projects recommended for funding statewide.

The program is scheduled to begin in January 2027 and will provide training for careers in heavy equipment operation, site construction and related fields.

BCC and Southeastern Community College plan to share resources and expertise as they develop the program for students across southeastern North Carolina.

BCC President Gene Smith said the training is intended to prepare students for jobs in construction and infrastructure development.

Additional details, including enrollment information, are expected to be announced closer to the program’s January launch.