Imperial Sugar Employees Graduate Tech Program

Imperial Sugar employees are already gearing up and learning about the new state of the art equipment that will be part of the rebuilding plans.  Today, 24 employees graduated from a Warehousing and Distribution Specialist Program, helping prepare them for the industrial systems and technology expected in the new plant.  NEWS 3's Tristan Tully was there as the students start to move forward.

Patrick Aliffi is a Bosch operator at Imperial Sugar, but since the explosion, he's says he's really been a jack of all trades around the refinery.  Now, he's preparing for his new role, "Certified Machinery Specialists is what we got to become, so that should help us in the future in the sugar refinery in the new Bosch machines and the new packing house that's going to be implemented."

Patrick is one of two dozen employees who were the first of many classes to come in the partnership with Savannah Tech, "I think it's going to make us a stronger company cause I think if your employees are strong and well educated then it's going to make a more profitable company and it's going to make us a better company in the long run and in the future."

Ronley Brown is a press operator at the refinery.  He says graduating from the program gives him a great sense of accomplishment, "I'm excited and I'll be glad when it unfolds, everything come together and begins to operate again.  I'm looking forward to that."

As the men and women receive their diplomas, for Patrick it's hard to not reflect on the tragedy only six short months later, "Yeah, I'd have to say so.  There are a lot of people I'd like to see here that aren't, that I work with and am very close to and to accomplish something but know that you're leaving something behind is bittersweet."

A second class has already started training at Savannah Tech.  They expect more than 300 Imperial Sugar employees to go through the short-term certificate programs before the plant reopens for distribution.