WJBF Golden Apple Award Winner: Clyde Ergle, Aiken County Career & Technology Center
In a world where there’s such a push for electric-powered engines, Clyde Ergle stands as a reminder of the value of diesel fuel. He gives his students an appreciation of its global importance.
“It’s just the love and desire to see a student succeed. I tell my kids all the time, that most people want an accolade on the wall, a trophy on the wall, a plaque on the wall. My accolade is to walk into one of these dealerships, to see a student be successful.”
“So if my truck breaks down, I don’t want to work on it. I want to take it in there and see one of my students being able to work on it.”
And Ergle has relationships with several companies with apprenticeship programs that can help his kids get those jobs.
“My goal is for every student to leave the career center and be able to make money or further their career in a technical field.”
Clyde Ergle, II. A man who once thought he’d be a mechanic his entire life. Instead he became a mentor who gets to shape the automotive experts of the future.
“Never thought of this avenue,” he says. “But I have not had a more rewarding job in my career in the past 28-years.”
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