Mission Statement
The mission of the Diesel Technology program is to provide hands-on education and training that conforms to Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) industry standards and provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary to enter the medium/heavy duty diesel truck or construction equipment service and repair field.
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Work Environment
Technicians normally work in well-lighted and ventilated areas. However, some shops are drafty and noisy. Many employers provide lockers and shower facilities. Diesel technicians usually work indoors, although they occasionally repair vehicles on the road or at the job site. Diesel technicians may lift heavy parts and tools, handle greasy and dirty parts, and stand or lie in awkward positions while making repairs. Most service technicians work a standard 40-hour week, although some work longer hours, particularly if they are self-employed. A growing number of shops have expanded their hours to speed repairs and offer more convenience to customers. Some truck and bus firms provide maintenance and repair service around the clock and on weekends.
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Nature of the Work
Diesel-powered engines are more efficient and durable than their gasoline-burning counterparts. These powerful engines are standard in trucks, locomotives, and buses and are becoming more prevalent in light vehicles, including passenger vehicles, pickups, and other work trucks.
Diesel service technicians and mechanics repair and maintain the diesel engines that power transportation equipment. Other diesel technicians and mechanics work on other heavy vehicles and mobile equipment, including bulldozers, cranes, road graders, farm tractors, and combines. Others repair diesel-powered passenger automobiles, light trucks, or boats.
Increasingly, diesel technicians must be versatile enough to adapt to customers' needs and to new technologies. It is common for technicians to handle all kinds of repairs, working on a vehicle's electrical system one day and doing major engine repairs the next. Diesel maintenance is becoming increasingly complex as more electronic components are used to control the operation of an engine. For example, microprocessors now regulate and manage fuel injection and engine timing thus increasing the engine's efficiency. Also, new emissions standards may require mechanics to retrofit engines with emissions control systems, such as emission filters and catalysts, to comply with pollution regulations. In modern shops, diesel service technicians use hand-held or laptop computers to diagnose problems and adjust engine functions.
Diesel service technicians use a variety of tools in their work, including power tools such as pneumatic wrenches that remove bolts quickly; machine tools such as lathes and grinding machines to rebuild brakes; welding and flame-cutting equipment to remove and repair exhaust systems; and jacks and hoists to lift and move large parts. Common hand tools-screwdrivers, pliers, and wrenches-are used to work on small parts and get at hard-to-reach places. Diesel service technicians and mechanics also use a variety of computerized testing equipment to pinpoint and analyze malfunctions in electrical systems and engines. Employers typically furnish expensive power tools, computerized engine analyzers, and other diagnostic equipment, but workers usually accumulate their own hand tools over time.
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Employment
Diesel service technicians and mechanics held about 263,100 jobs nationally in 2008. These workers were employed in almost every industry, particularly those that use trucks, buses, and equipment to haul, deliver, and transport materials, goods, and people. The largest employer, the truck transportation industry, employed about 17 percent of diesel service technicians and mechanics. About 8 percent were employed by automotive repair and maintenance facilities. The rest were employed throughout the economy, including construction, manufacturing, retail and wholesale trade, and automotive leasing. About 6 percent were self-employed. Employment of diesel service technicians and mechanics is expected to grow by 6 percent from 2008 to 2018.
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Earnings
Median hourly wages nationally of bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists, including incentive pay, were $18.94 in May 2008. The middle 50 percent earned between $15.25 and $23.58 an hour. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $12.50, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $28.41 an hour. Because many experienced technicians employed by truck fleet dealers and independent repair shops receive a commission related to the labor cost charged to the customer, weekly earnings depend on the amount of work completed. Beginners usually earn from 50 to 75 percent of the rate of skilled workers and receive increases as they become more skilled.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-2011 Edition (http://www.bls.gov/oco/)
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Student Learning Outcomes
Graduates of the diploma program in Diesel Equipment Technology will be able to complete the following tasks:
- Follow a methodical diagnostic process while performing all repairs
- Display competence in performing basic maintenance procedures for all diesel vehicles, engines, and equipment serviced
- Communicate knowledgeably and professionally with peers and customers regarding all repairs
- Demonstrate the ability to perform entry level troubleshooting and repair skills in the following areas: engine repair, driveline, hydraulic and air brakes, electrical systems, and steering and suspension systems
- Demonstrate the personal and professional ethics and interpersonal skills that are expected in the workplace
Graduates of the technical certificate in Diesel Electrical/Electronic Systems Technician will be able to complete the following tasks:
- Follow a methodical diagnostic process while performing all repairs
- Display competence in performing basic electrical and electronic systems maintenance procedures for all diesel vehicles, engines, and equipment
- Communicate knowledgeably and professionally with peers and customers regarding all repairs
- Demonstrate the ability to perform entry level troubleshooting and repair skills on electrical and electronic systems
- Demonstrate the personal and professional ethics and interpersonal skills that are expected in the workplace
Graduates of the technical certificate in Diesel Engine Service Technician will be able to complete the following tasks:
- Follow a methodical diagnostic process while performing all repairs
- Display competence in performing basic maintenance procedures for all diesel vehicle engines
- Communicate knowledgeably and professionally with peers and customers regarding all repairs
- Demonstrate the ability to perform entry level troubleshooting and repair skills on diesel engines
- Demonstrate the personal and professional ethics and interpersonal skills that are expected in the workplace
Graduates of the technical certificate in Diesel Truck Maintenance Technician will be able to complete the following tasks:
- Follow a methodical diagnostic process while performing all repairs
- Display competence in performing basic maintenance procedures for all diesel vehicles
- Communicate knowledgeably and professionally with peers and customers regarding all repairs
- Demonstrate the personal and professional ethics and interpersonal skills that are expected in the workplace
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Essential Functions
The purpose of the essential functions list is to allow prospective students who are considering a career to be informed of the physical, emotional, and psychological demands related to training and employment in a field of study. These lists are provided to allow prospective students to make informed career choices by providing them with a summary of the physical abilities and personality traits that are generally required for the successful completion of a curriculum and result in employment in their field of study after graduation.
For students to be successful in the Diesel Equipment Technology programs, they must be able to perform the following essential functions:
- Ability to Use Senses
- Visual: Acuity to identify correct operating procedures and to read fine print on equipment or other documents required in the operation of equipment in a diesel environment
- Hearing: The ability to hear sounds and emergency signals (with auditory aids or a full-time interpreter for the hearing impaired) and to understand a normal speaking voice without direct access to the speaker's face
- Smell: The ability to evaluate possible dangers involved in working with hazardous materials in a diesel working environment
- Tactile: The ability to feel heat, cold, or pain
- Motor Ability
- Physical ability to walk long distances and stand for long periods of time; to lift, move, and transfer equipment of at least 50 pounds; to maneuver in limited and confined spaces
- Ability to work while in hot/humid and/or cold conditions
- Manual dexterity to efficiently and safely use equipment, power tools and hand tools, and other small and large equipment while wearing essential safety glasses and/or gloves and/or other necessary required safety gear in a diesel environment
- Ability to Understand Need for a Safe Work Environment
- Practical awareness of potential dangers within the diesel repair field
- Ability to wear necessary safety gear, i.e. safety glasses, gloves, head covering, etc.
- Ability to maintain a safe environment at all times in a diesel working environment
- Ability to Communicate
- Ability to communicate effectively in verbal and written forms to class partners and/or team and to instructors
- Ability to write and perform routine mathematical calculations clearly and correctly as necessary
- Basic proficiency in technology (computers) as the diesel industry requires
- Ability to Problem Solve
- Intellectual and conceptual ability for measuring, calculating, reasoning, analyzing, and prioritizing daily functions in today's diesel repair shops
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with a sense of urgency without jeopardizing safety
- Ability to react and adjust as instructed by the instructor(s) during lab or shop instruction or based on customer's needs
- Ability to Maintain Emotional Stability
- Ability to function safely under stress in today's workplace and adapt to changing staff and client/customer situations
- Ability to maintain composure and professionalism at all times in labs and work and lab/shop environment
- Ability to Perform Practical Outcomes
- Ability to function under the practical guidelines of the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) and of the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF)
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Program Expenses
The Higher Education Act requires all colleges and universities to notify students and prospective students of all program costs for which they will be responsible. Students will be responsible for the following expenses each semester (unless otherwise noted):
- Tuition ($75 per credit hour)
- Registration fee ($39)
- Student activity fees ($30)
- Accident insurance fee ($6)
- Instructional and technology supply fee ($55)
- Supply fee (Varies - See course descriptions for exact costs)
- Textbooks (Approximately $700)
- Tools (Approximately $1,000)
These expenses are based on costs in effect at the time this catalog was published. Prices are subject to change.
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Gainful Employment
Information on graduation rates, job placement rates, median loan debt incurred by students and other gainful employment information is available on the college website.
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Admission Requirements
Applicants must submit the following information to the Admissions Office:
- Completed and signed application for admission and a $20 nonrefundable application fee
- Official high school or GED transcripts and/or official college transcripts from all colleges attended in the past (see General Admission Requirements)
- Valid COMPASS, ASSET, SAT, or ACT test scores (see COMPASS and ASSET Placement Tests)
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