Earlier this month, Toyota Lift Northwest visited Skagit Valley College in Mount Vernon Washington for a very special occasion. We met with students in the Automotive and Diesel courses to discuss forklift and material handling technician positions. There aren’t as many positions in the forklift industry as there are in the automotive industry but they are just as vital, and difficult to fill. That’s why it’s important to meet with students. Our Director of Rentals and Service, Kwang Yu, was joined by our Senior Manager of Parts, Rocky Dopp, our Senior Manager of Human Resources, Barb Gustafson, and our Mount Vernon Branch Lead, Martin Manrique to present to the classes.
We talked about the history of Toyota Lift Northwest and how much we’ve changed since starting in 1967. We discussed how a lot of the skills they are already learning translate to material handling jobs. Finally, we gave them a glimpse into what a day as a forklift mechanic can look like.
In addition, we donated a forklift and charger to the Diesel class for use in class and outside. Kwang Yu, Director of Rentals and Service, at Toyota Lift Northwest said, “Toyota Lift Northwest is proud to announce the donation of a Toyota forklift to Skagit Valley College. The forklift can be used in their daily needs as well as open conversations to introduce students to the forklift industry. This is just the start of a partnership with the colleges throughout the NW region. “
If you’d like to learn more about Skagit Valley College, you can visit their website.