Volvo Construction Equipment has officially opened its new training centre in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania.
The $7.3 million facility will serve as a training hub of expertise and innovation for Volvo CE service technicians on diesel and electric heavy equipment, machine control tech, connectivity and productivity services.
The new facility includes in-person classrooms, virtual labs and three service bays that can accommodate the company’s largest machines, allowing training to occur inside year-round.
“I’m proud to work for a company that invests in not only the equipment and technology of the construction industry’s future, but also the North American workforce,” said Scott Young, Acting President of Region North America, Volvo CE. “The technicians who come through this training centre will be prepared for a more climate-friendly and connected future, supporting our customers in this fast-changing industry.”
Volvo CE offers training to dealer service and sales teams from across Canada and the United States. This includes three levels of technical certifications for maintenance, diagnostics and repair of Volvo equipment, plus a new certification to perform commissioning and decommissioning of Volvo electric machines.
New centre double training capacity
The new centre doubles the number of students Volvo CE can train in a year, compared to its former off-site location.
The facility also provides hands-on and virtual trainings to employees globally. It was also announced during the opening on Aug. 18 that the Customer and Training Center received a 100 per cent certified landfill-free certification by Volvo Group North America.
Tim Watters, president and CEO of Hoffman Equipment and Volvo CE dealer advisory Council President, underlined the impact of the investment.
“The need for expertly trained service techs cannot be overstated, as they are the critical link to ensure maximum customer uptime. This new centre has the capacity and knowledge bank to keep our teams at the leading edge of equipment service technology,” he said.
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Federal, state, and local legislators and members from area business and education communities took part in the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“Volvo Construction Equipment’s commitment to create a multimillion-dollar Technical Training Center in Shippensburg will strengthen our local economy and provide important training to the next generation of technicians working here in Pennsylvania and across North America,” said United States Rep. John Joyce.
The manufacturer is also exploring collaboration with local high school and career and technology centers to provide heavy equipment technology training and mentorship opportunities.
The 1,860 square metre training wing is an extension of the Volvo CE Customer Center and doubles the overall building’s size.
