Campus News
September 9th, 2025
Chaney brothers part of trend toward the trades
Kyle, Blake using GC's workforce training in local family business
Blake and Kyle Chaney are both employing the certifications they earned at Garrett College in their family-owned business, Chaney Excavating LLC. Pictured, left to right, are Brian, Cindy, Blake, and Kyle Chaney.
More recent high school graduates are choosing to seek trades training rather than pursuing traditional, four-year college degrees. Two local examples: brothers Kyle and Blake Chaney, who both work at family-owned Chaney Excavating LLC in McHenry.
Kyle, a 2022 Northern Garrett High graduate, completed Garrett College's Commercial Driver's License (CDL) training as a high school senior and then went on to earn an Associate of Arts in Business. Blake, a member of Northern Garrett's Class of 2024, completed GC's welding program this past spring.
Kyle said both his CDL training and business degree have proven valuable in his work with the family business.
"I'm the main truck driver, but I do other work as well," Kyle said. "I learned the billing aspect, setting up financials, and dealing with the money side of the operation through my business courses."
Kyle said he might have taken a more traditional college pathway if it hadn't been for COVID.
"I went through high school to be an engineer," Kyle said. "Then COVID hit and I knew I didn't want to sit in an office all day."
Blake, who operates excavating machinery for the company, said his welding skills help prevent "down time" due to machinery issues.
"If something breaks on a piece of our equipment, I can weld it back together pretty quickly," said Blake.
Blake said the accessibility of Garrett College and the availability of the Garrett County Scholarship Program (GCSP) are of great value to the community.
"It's really nice to have it [the College] in your home town," said Blake. "You don't have to travel and you have the opportunity to get a couple of years of college free."
"Kyle and Blake are great examples of taking advantage of the GSCP – both during and after high school – to complete workforce training programs that lead to licensure or certification," said Julie Yoder, Garrett College's dean of continuing education and workforce development.
"Earning these credentials not only opens the door to immediate employment, but also offers a pathway to support themselves financially while pursuing longer-term career goals," added Yoder.
"That was a tremendous help," Kyle said of the GCSP. "CDL training is not cheap. I was able to get that training and go through the two years of the business program with the help of the county scholarship."
Blake plans to eventually obtain his CDL through Garrett College's Mountaintop Truck Driving Institute (MTDI).
"They both also volunteer for the Deep Creek Fire Department and aspire to drive the fire trucks," noted their mother, Cindy Chaney, who, along with husband Brian, also graduated from Northern Garrett High. Brian, Cindy, Kyle, and Blake are all involved in the day-to-day operations of the company.
Chaney Excavating LLC – which provides demolition, landscaping, snow plowing and removal, hauling, driveway preparation services, foundation work, and traditional septic system service – has been in operation for more than two decades.
"I've always grown up around it and it's always been my favorite thing to do," Blake said of working for his family's business.
Kyle wasn't surprised that a lot of young adults are choosing training for a trade over the traditional, four-year college pathway.
"I feel like it's a good thing," Kyle said of the recent postsecondary trends. "I know schooling is important, but the trades are as well. We need more hard-working people who want to train for the trades."
