Iowa Western Community College
Let Truck Driving Schools Info Connect You With a Quality Diesel Mechanic School Near You!
The schools in our network hold one or more of the following quality standards:
- Hands-On Training
- ASE Certified Instructors
- Nationally Recognized Accreditation
- Job Placement Assistance for Those Who Qualify
Just click the orange "Find Your School!" button below and request information from the schools near you. Hurry! Classes are filling up fast!
Diesel Technology
The Diesel Technology program at Iowa Western Community College is designed to immerse students in all phases of the diesel industry including engines, transmissions, drive axles, electrical systems, and auxiliary systems.
Classroom instruction, one-on-one hands-on training, and paid internships in two separate diesel-related fields provide each student with the opportunity to advance their skills and technical knowledge of the diesel engine as they study specific engine designs by Caterpillar, Cummins, Detroit Michigan, Mercedes, and more.
Students will also study transmissions, drive axle operation and repair, electrical systems, hydraulic/air brakes, chassis, drive line, air conditioning/refrigeration, diesel fuel systems, and preventive maintenance in great detail.
The Diesel Technology Course Sequence
The curriculum of the Diesel Technology program consists of the following courses:
First Semester
- Introduction to Diesel
- Electrical Systems
- Diesel Lab I
- A.A.S. Mathematics Requirement
Second Semester
- Hydraulic/Air Brakes
- Chassis/Driveline
- Diesel Lab II
- A.A.S. Communications Requirement
Summer Semester I
- Air Conditioning/Refrigeration
- Diesel Lab III
- Preventative Maintenance
Third Semester
- Engines I
- Fuel Systems
- Diesel Lab IV or
- Diesel Internship II
- Workplace Empowerment
Fourth Semester
- Engines II
- Transmissions/Drive Axle
- Diesel Lab V or
- Diesel Internship II
- Social Science/Humanities Elective
Summer Semester II
- Diesel Lab VI or
- Diesel Internship I
In order to graduate, students must complete every course and maintain at least a 2.0 GPA, the equivalent of a “C” grade.
From College to Career
Graduates of the Diesel Technology program at Iowa Western Community College will have a thorough knowledge of servicing diesel systems and diesel equipment and will be qualified to secure and hold an entry-level position in the diesel service technician or diesel mechanics occupation.
As the diesel industry continues to grow rapidly, job opportunities for qualified diesel mechanics is expected to increase 11% by the year 2020, as fast as average, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The mean annual wage for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists working in the United States in 2014 was $45,160, while the mean salary for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists employed in the state of Iowa was $39,410 yearly and $18.95 hourly, just 13% lower than the national average.
The Two-Year Associate of Applied Science Degree
Iowa Western Community College offers a two-year Associate of Applied Science Degree in Diesel Technology. This program is Pell Grant eligible. Certain students may qualify to receive the Kibbie Grant or the Iowa Grant to help supplement the cost of their education.