Students in the SkillsUSA program and Wilkes Community College had a chance to tour the ASC facility and look over many Volvo products, including the Volvo A40G golden hauler.

In 1966, Volvo met the needs of the industry for an all-terrain hauler when it released its articulated hauler. To mark the 50th anniversary of this achievement, a special edition gold hauler, a Volvo A40G, has been touring North America. The paint crew at the company's factory in Shippensburg, Pa., gave the hauler its unique sheen.

According to Larry Gaburri, district business manager of Volvo Construction Equipment, the articulated hauler has the ability to work in rough terrain without losing payload. The gold Volvo A40G is a 40-ton articulated truck and is identical to the standard Volvo A40G, with the exception of its special gold paint.

The tour is a joining of forces to promote education and career opportunities in the construction industry.

“We have partnered with SkillsUSA on this tour, and the hauler is going to different dealerships,” said Meg Dameron of Volvo. “We are inviting students from local high schools and college-level technical programs to come and check out the machine, tour the dealership and talk to technicians and sales representatives about what a career in our industry is like.”

As part of the tour, ASC Construction Equipment USA Inc. held an event at its Raleigh, N.C., facility on April 6. Area contractors attended, as did students from Wilkes County Community College who are in diesel engine classes. Also attending were high school students in the SkillsUSA program.

“Education is really important, and North America has a consistent need and demand for skilled technicians,” said Gaburri. “There is a lot of demand, and there is a lot of opportunity, and that's why this foundation is important,”

The tour of the golden hauler will end when it is auctioned off at the 2017 ConExpo/ConAGG in Las Vegas, and the proceeds will be going to SkillsUSA, its counterpart Skills Canada and some local technical programs in the area around Volvo's factory to support career education.

SkillsUSA (formerly know as Vocational Industrial Clubs of America) is a national, non-profit, career and technical student organization with more than 300,000 members nationwide. SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure that America has a skilled work force. It provides opportunities for career and technical education students to enhance their technical skills through competitive events and to prepare for leadership in the world of work through the development of workplace, personal, and technical skills.

For more information, visit SkillsUSAnc.org, SkillsUSA.org, www.ascvolvo.com and www.volvoce.com.

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