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The Caterpillar Youth Apprenticeship Program in welding inducted 16 Lee County high school students May 2 at the company's Sanford Fabrication Facility in the Lee County Industrial Park. The two-year paid apprenticeship program will train the students for careers in welding. The 2013 inductees (not in order) are Duncan Riddle IV, Sir William Shoop, Tristian Dennis, Ivan Vilchis, Adan Renteria-Lascano, Jesse Moore, Kayla Coleman, Cody Baker, Gage Chambley, Sean Stitt, and Jonathan Godfrey, all of Lee County High School; and Ellizon Torres, Brandon Donathan, Christopher Baker, Noel Martinez and Joseph Matthews, all of Southern Lee High School. Pictured with the inductees are (from left) Donnie Oldham (behind Torres), chair of the Lee Economic Development Committee, and Dr. Andy Bryan, associate superintendent of Lee County Schools; and (from right) Brad Crace, Caterpillar-Sanford operations manager; Julie Ammons, Caterpillar-Sanford's Human Relations manager; and Dr. Bud Marchant, president of Central Carolina Community College. The apprenticeship was developed by a partnership among Caterpillar, Inc.-Sanford, Central Carolina Community College, Lee County Schools, and the N.C. Department of Labor.

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Ellizon Torres (left), of Southern Lee High School is congratulated by CCCC President Bud Marchant (second from right) on his May 2 induction in the Caterpillar Youth Apprenticeship Program in welding. Also congratulating Torres are Donnie Oldham (behind Torres), chair of the Lee Economic Development Committee; Dr. Andy Bryan, Associate Superintendent of Lee County Schools; and Martin Kegel, facility manager for Caterpillar-Sanford. Sixteen students from Lee County public high schools were inducted into the program, which provides training for a career as a welder. The apprenticeship program is a collaboration of Caterpillar-Sanford, Central Carolina Community College, Lee County Schools, and the N.C. Department of Labor.

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Mark West (center), Lee County High School assistant principal, congratulates LCHS student Jonathan Godfrey on his induction into the Caterpillar Youth Apprenticeship Program in welding. Also congratulating Godfrey are Southern Lee High School Principal Bonnie Almond (center left), and Brad Crace (right) operations manager for Caterpillar's Sanford Fabrication Facility. Crace holds a Caterpillar hat to present to Godfrey. The induction took place May 2 at the facility in the Lee County Industrial Park. Sixteen students from Lee County public high schools were inducted into the program, which provides training for a career as a welder. The apprenticeship program is a collaboration of Caterpillar-Sanford, Central Carolina Community College, Lee County Schools, and the N.C. Department of Labor.