On Monday, April 7, 2025, several Apollo Career Center students toured the Bluffton Stone Company. One of the day’s highlights was witnessing the blasting of 26,000 tons of limestone.

Participants are in Apollo’s Construction Equipment Technology (CET) class, which teaches high school juniors and seniors how to operate and maintain large equipment, including backhoes, bulldozers, forklifts, tractors, skid loaders, excavators, and dump trucks.

Doug Halker of The Bluffton Stone Company, Michael Miller of Bluffton Paving, Inc., and Joe Knepley of Gerken Materials, Inc. led the tour from The Gerken Companies.

Focused on training students for the right career paths, the Apollo Career Center offers various long- and short-term programs across industries. On its state-of-the-art Lima campus, Apollo gives students personal attention, real-world experience, and an all-inclusive culture.

As one of Ohio’s leading career technical training centers, Apollo has forged strong partnerships with regional businesses. Its accelerated programs enable Apollo to adjust content quickly to meet changing workforce demands.

For more information about the Apollo Career Center, visit their website.