Caddo Kiowa Technology Center

Diesel Service Technology*  

The Diesel Service Technology program at Caddo Kiowa Technology Center provides students with the skills needed to troubleshoot, repair, and maintain the complex diesel engine systems found in today’s diesel trucks and heavy machinery.

Students are taught diesel theory in the classroom through a series of in-depth lectures while they develop important thinking and reasoning skills through class discussions, detailed learning materials, and written assignments.

In the laboratory, students observe instructor-led demonstrations and receive hands-on training on how to properly disassemble, inspect, diagnose, repair, and reassemble different diesel engines. Using sophisticated diagnostic equipment, wiring schematics, technical manuals, power tools, and hand tools, students learn how to properly diagnose, maintain, and repair internal combustion systems with the same equipment as ASE certified Master Technicians. Using advanced industry techniques, students repair and maintain all types of heavy machinery, from the engine to the chassis, while they develop important analytical, technical, and mechanical skills in the process.

Recommended Qualities

Students who wish to enroll in the Diesel Service Technology program should possess the following qualities:

• Reading, writing, and math at an 8th grade level.
• Mechanical dexterity.
• Good eye-hand coordination.
• Be able to lift 50 lbs.
• Able to work with chemicals.
• Able to look up and order parts.
• Comfortable working in tight or high places such as on a ladder.
• Willing to get dirty and greasy.
• Able to wear safety glasses for an extended length of time.
• Will not come to class dressed in shorts or tennis shoes.
• Able to dress in coveralls and boots.
• Must possess a current Oklahoma state driver’s license.

Occupational Outlook

 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 Oklahoma was $40,550 yearly and $19.49 hourly, just 11% lower than the national average.

Graduates of the Diesel Service Technology program at Caddo Kiowa Technology Center will be prepared to further their education, advance their certification, or seek immediate employment in the diesel service technology job field. 

The Undergraduate Certificate

Caddo Kiowa Technology Center offers two separate Undergraduate Certificates in Diesel Service Technology, each with a different concentration. The first program is an Undergraduate Certificate in Diesel Service Technology with a Medium and Heavy Duty Diesel Preventive Maintenance Technician concentration. Students in the Medium and Heavy Duty Diesel Preventive Maintenance Technician program also have the option of obtaining either their Class A or Class B commercial driver’s license (CDL). The second program is a 39-week Undergraduate Certificate in Diesel Service Technology with a Medium and Heavy Duty Diesel Service Technician concentration. The 39-week Undergraduate Certificate program is Pell Grant eligible.

*Program is certified by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) and accredited by the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF).