Partnerships
Wake Tech and Gregory Poole Celebrate First Apprentices
Photo Gallery
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Gregory Poole apprentices gather with family and friends for a graduation ceremony. -
Gregory Poole III shakes the hand of one of the first Wake Tech students to graduate from an apprenticeship program with his company. -
Gregory Poole III shakes the hand of one of the first Wake Tech students to graduate from an apprenticeship program with his company. -
A Wake Tech student poses with instructors in front of a balloon archway after earning a Journeyworker Certificate from the college's apprenticeship program with Gregory Poole Equipment Co. -
A Wake Tech student poses with instructors in front of a balloon archway after earning a Journeyworker Certificate from the college's apprenticeship program with Gregory Poole Equipment Co. -
A Wake Tech student poses with instructors in front of a balloon archway after earning a Journeyworker Certificate from the college's apprenticeship program with Gregory Poole Equipment Co. -
Wake Tech students pose with instructors after earning Journeyworker Certificates from the college's apprenticeship program with Gregory Poole Equipment Co.
RALEIGH, N.C. (July 22, 2025) – Nine construction equipment technicians are starting careers at Gregory Poole Equipment Co. after completing the company's inaugural apprenticeship program at Wake Tech.
The college and the Caterpillar dealer for eastern North Carolina celebrated the students who earned their diploma in the Construction Equipment Systems Technology program Tuesday at a graduation ceremony and special breakfast on Southern Wake Campus.
"This is a huge milestone. It's 11 months of hard work, but it's just a start,” said Gregory Poole IV, senior vice president at Gregory Poole. "I expect all of you to continue your development, both technically at Gregory Poole and in the classroom at Wake Tech. I think it's incredibly important for your future and what you aspire to become."
The program started last fall, with the apprentices attending classes two days a week. For the remaining three days a week, they got on-site training at area Gregory Poole locations, where they learned how to troubleshoot and repair diesel engines, power trains, transmissions, braking systems and hydraulics on heavy equipment.
The first apprentices to complete the program are:
- Kelvin Axume
- Charles Beck
- Johnathan Henderson
- Cameron Minard
- Cedar Rios
- Harrison Underwood
- Kenneth Woodworth
- Kenneth Waldo
- Zachary Waller
Three apprentices were recognized with special awards: Underwood received the Highest GPA Award, Rios earned the Best Attendance Award and Beck received the CITES Award for exemplifying the company's core values of commitment, integrity, teamwork, excellence and safety.
Underwood is among those who plan to continue learning at Wake Tech this fall to pursue an Associate in Applied Science degree in Construction Equipment Systems Technology.
"The program has provided me a lot of new experiences, taught me how to balance school and work at the same time," he said. "The classes were really good, hands-on and applicable for when we would go to work on Wednesday. The best part of the program for me was troubleshooting different pieces of equipment. You feel really good about yourself once you figured out the issue and what was wrong."
Students received free tuition, fees and books, which were paid for through Wake County's WakeWorks initiative. They also earned a salary at Gregory Poole during the program. In addition to their diploma, students earned a Journeyworker certificate for completing 2,000 hours of training, which indicates mastery of the skills in their field.
Seventeen new apprentices will begin the program in August.
With nearly 500 apprentices working at one of more than 150 companies around the Triangle, Wake Tech has one of the most robust apprenticeship programs of any college in the nation. In 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor recognized Wake Tech as an "Apprenticeship Ambassador" for the college's work to provide apprenticeship opportunities. To learn more, visit apprenticeship.waketech.edu.
