1 | Where is GP Academy located?
GP Academy classes are held at multiple Gregory Poole Equipment Company locations throughout eastern North Carolina. While the department is headquartered in Raleigh, NC, the Academy currently staffs three regional trainers who offer technical and customer classes within the following locations:
Bob King – Lead and North Regional Trainer (all Raleigh locations)
Jeff Dimmig – Central Regional Trainer (Garner, New Hope, Fayetteville, Sanford)
Donnie Bryant – Coastal Regional Trainer (Washington, Camden, Wilmington, Greenville, Jacksonville)
2 | Are GP Academy instructors accredited?
Yes, all GP Academy instructors are Caterpillar Certified instructors via the Caterpillar Instructor Accreditation Program (CIAP). They bring years of experience from technical, military, and education-focused career backgrounds that support their skills as GP Academy trainers.
3 | Does GP Academy offer virtual classes?
GP Academy does not at this time offer options for virtual instructor-led training (VILT) due to the practical and lab focused portions of many classes. GP Academy provides hands-on learning through in-person classes in order to increase technician confidence in practical skill application. Alongside hands-on learning, various trainings are available to technicians, incorporated online via Genie, Caterpillar DPC, and Marketplace. This training covers safety and some soft skills learning but only will be available to technicians as supplemental material for in-person instructor led training.
4 | What is the difference between a technician apprenticeship and technician training?
All apprentices and technicians at Gregory Poole are compensated employees of the company and work in the shop or field to gain practical experience.
Wake Tech Apprentices attend classes at Wake Tech on Mondays and Tuesdays during the fall and spring semesters, and Mondays during the summer semester while working part time in the shop at Gregory Poole for the remainder of the week.
GP Academy Accredited Apprentices are full-time GPEC employees who must take a seven-week course load of classes with GP Academy trainers in addition to completing practical skills.
Technicians are full-time employees at GPEC who opt to take training classes individually as a part of their career advancement or by manager recommendation to address a specific area or skill they are struggling with in the shop.
5 | What is the difference between the degree-seeking and non-degree seeking apprenticeship?
For more information about the differences between the Wake Tech Apprentice Program and the GP Academy Accredited Apprentice Program, please visit their respective sites via the links below.
For more information please contact: GPAcademy@gregpoole.com