CFCC Yamaha Program Produces Skilled Technicians for BellHart Marine

When BellHart Marine needs skilled marine technicians, they know to look at Cape Fear Community College.

A CFCC graduate, owner Dwayne Dehart has grown his business into a thriving operation with two locations and nearly 40 employees. Among his team are Amanda, Austin, and Chris, three outboard technicians who each got their start in CFCC’s Yamaha Outboard Systems program. Though they share the same training background, their paths to BellHart couldn’t be more different.

Amanda’s Career Pivot

When Amanda’s family bought a boat, she had no idea it would lead her to a new career.

“We quickly realized we didn’t know what we were doing,” Amanda laughed. “Some firefighters we knew had taken Spencer’s outboard class and recommended it. My husband was supposed to take it, but his schedule didn’t work out, so I did. It ended up being fantastic.”

A former ER nurse of ten years, Amanda enrolled in CFCC’s Yamaha Outboard Systems class to help her family, but the more she learned, the more she loved it.

“I just kept going, module after module,” she said. “I expected to feel out of place, but it was such a welcoming environment. The small class sizes made a big difference, and it felt nothing like any classroom I’d ever been in.”

The hands-on training helped build her confidence. “We repeated things so many times in the lab that I felt completely comfortable doing maintenance work.”

Now thriving at BellHart, Amanda says the support continues. “It feels like a family here. Everyone’s helpful, even when I had silly questions, they took the time to help me learn.”

Austin’s Skill-Building

Austin’s path started even earlier. “I grew up on boats but didn’t know how they worked,” he said. “Right out of high school, I walked into a boat shop not knowing anything. The guy there was great. He taught me a lot.”

Looking to expand his skills, Austin moved to Wilmington after hearing about CFCC’s Yamaha training. Even with some prior shop experience, the program gave him the necessary technical foundation.

“Pretty much everything I do day-to-day, I learned in Spencer Nickel’s classes, timing belts, water pumps, service work,” Austin said. “It’s directly applicable to what I do now.”

Austin was hired at BellHart during his second week in CFCC’s Yamaha Outboard Systems program. “I had some experience already, but when I told them I was at Cape Fear, they were all for it.”

Chris’s Direct Route from High School

Chris, the youngest of the crew, knew early on that the traditional college path wasn’t for him.

“I graduated from high school last year and told everyone, ‘I’m not doing this for four more years,'” he said.

His spark came when he saw the Yamaha display at the Wilmington Boat Show last October.

“I grabbed a flyer and signed up for the first class. By the second class, I knew I wanted to get into the trade as soon as possible.”

His instructor, Spencer, recognized Chris’s drive and helped him connect with BellHart. For Dwayne, having that relationship with CFCC makes hiring easier.

“The good thing is, I already know about them because Spencer has already told me,” Dwayne said. “When someone from CFCC walks in the door, we don’t have to guess who they are.”

Supporting Career Growth Through Industry Partnerships

Amanda transitioned from a decade-long career in emergency nursing, and Austin came with early hands-on experience. Still, he wanted formal training, and Chris joined straight out of high school, determined to skip the traditional college route.

The CFCC-Yamaha partnership is helping students from all walks of life build meaningful, hands-on careers. And thanks to employer partnerships like the one with BellHart Marine, those students have a place to grow and thrive.