Central Piedmont 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 and Heavy Equipment Technology
The Diesel and Heavy Equipment Technology program at Central Piedmont Community College is designed to provide students with the knowledge and training necessary to properly service, repair, and maintain diesel trucks and heavy equipment.
Students are taught such topics as diesel theory and the fundamentals of the diesel engine system in the classroom, while they obtain valuable hands-on training in state-of-the-art hydraulic, transmission, engine, and electrical labs, as they troubleshoot, inspect, and repair heavy duty engines, diesel electrical systems, medium and heavy duty brake systems, air brake systems, electronic engines, heating and air conditioning systems, mechanical transmissions, suspension and steering systems, and hydraulic systems. Students also gain hands-on experience in MIG welding, and performing preventive maintenance and diesel engine tune-ups.
In the main shop, students learn on the most current diagnostic equipment as they diagnose and repair the computerized auxiliary systems found on today’s diesel engines. Specialized measuring devices, shop manuals, power tools, and hand tools are also used throughout the two-year program.
Each student will learn the value of strong communication and leadership skills as they work both independently, and as a team, disassembling, inspecting, testing, repairing, and reassembling the diesel engines on the late model training trucks from Freightliner and International. Students also develop critical thinking and reasoning skills and learn the importance of time management as they work to successfully complete each and every task assigned to them by their instructors with proficiency and speed.
The Diesel and Heavy Equipment Technology Curriculum
The Diesel and Heavy Equipment Technology program is made up of the following industry-specific classes:
- Heavy Duty Engines
- Diesel Electrical Systems
- Mechanical Orientation
- Shop Rules and Regulations
- Med/Heavy Duty Brakes
- Med/Heavy Duty Brakes Lab
- Automotive Computer
- Electronic Engines
- Heating and Air conditioning
- Heating and Air Conditioning Lab
- Mechanical Transmissions
- Suspension & Steering
- Work Experience
- Air Brakes
- Hydraulics
- MIG Welding
- Work Experience
- Preventive Maintenance
- Preventive Maintenance Lab
- Med/Heavy Duty Tune-Up
- Work Experience I
- Work Experience II
Students are also required to take Mathematical Models, English 114, English Composition, Communications, Psychology, and Fine Art, in order to meet the minimum 70 credit hour requirements of the Diesel Technology Associate of Applied Science Degree program. Students are required to finish each course and maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA, the equivalent of a “C” grade, in order to graduate. Work Experience II may be taken during the summer months or after the last semester.
What to Expect After College
Students who successfully complete the Diesel and Heavy Equipment Technology program at Central Piedmont Community College will not only be ready to take the ASE certification exams, they will possess all the basic skills necessary to gain entry-level employment as qualified diesel mechanics working in dealerships, fleet shops, and independent repair shops.
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 North Carolina was $42,510 yearly and $20.44 hourly, just 5% lower than the national average.
The Two-Year Associate of Applied Science Degree
Central Piedmont Community College offers a two-year Associate of Applied Science Degree in Diesel and Heavy Equipment Technology. This program is Pell Grant eligible.