Central Tech
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Diesel Technology*
Located on the Drumright campus, the Diesel Technology program at Central Tech teaches students how to properly inspect, diagnose, and correct diesel problems through an interactive, computer-based curriculum.
Through classroom lectures and written assignments, students develop important thinking and reasoning skills, as they learn about the purpose, design features, and principles of operation of medium and heavy duty diesel trucks and equipment.
On the shop floor, students watch, as electrical trainers and engine trainers perform live demonstrations on various diesel engines and heavy equipment. Students are then guided by the instructors as they receive hands-on experience inspecting, diagnosing and fixing the various problems found on diesel engine systems, diesel electronic systems, electrical systems, medium/heavy diesel truck drive trains, medium/heavy diesel truck hydraulics, medium/heavy truck brakes, medium/heavy truck steering and suspension systems, and medium/heavy truck heating and air conditioning systems.
Students use computerized diagnostic machines, technical manuals, power tools, and hand tools to diagnose, repair, and maintain various diesel engines and their complex system components. Each student is able to test circuits in a safe learning environment using computer-based simulation software, before they step into the shop and apply what they’ve learned. Students are then given the task of wiring all the lighting on a truck.
Shop safety, ethics, teamwork, and time management are also stressed throughout the program.
The Diesel Technology Courses
The Diesel and Heavy Equipment Technology program contains the following industry-relevant courses:
- Introduction & Orientation to Diesel Technology
- Diesel Electricity Introduction
- Preventive Maintenance Inspection
- Preventive Maintenance & Service
- Diesel Electricity Fundamentals
- Diesel Engine Systems
- Diesel Electricity Advanced
- Diesel Engine Specialization
- Medium/Heavy Truck Brakes
- Medium/Heavy Truck Steering & Suspension
- Medium/Heavy Diesel Truck Drive Train
- Medium/Heavy Diesel Truck Hydraulics
- Workforce Staging
Students must successfully complete each course and maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA, the equivalent of a “C” grade, to be eligible to graduate.
What to Expect After College
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.
Students who successfully complete the Diesel Technology program at Central Tech will be well-qualified to secure an entry-level position as a professional diesel and heavy equipment mechanic working for commercial trucking companies, heavy construction companies, independent service shops, and on farms and ranches. The average starting salary for graduates of the Diesel Technology program at Central Tech is $11.25 an hour.
The Undergraduate Certificate
Central Tech offers five separate Undergraduate Certificate programs in Diesel Technology with five different concentrations.
The first program is an Undergraduate Certificate in Diesel Technology with a Medium/Heavy Diesel Preventive Maintenance Technician concentration.
The second program is an Undergraduate Certificate in Diesel Technology with a Medium/Heavy Diesel Truck Engine Technician concentration.
The third program is an Undergraduate Certificate in Diesel Technology with a Medium/Heavy Diesel Truck Heavy Line Technician concentration.
The fourth program is an Undergraduate Certificate in Diesel Technology with a Medium/Heavy Duty Truck Service & Light Repair Technician concentration.
The fifth and final program is an Undergraduate Certificate in Diesel Technology with a Medium/Heavy Diesel Technician Workforce Transition concentration.
The Medium/Heavy Diesel Truck Heavy Line Technician program and the Medium/Heavy Duty Truck Service & Light Repair Technician program are both Pell Grant eligible.
*Program is endorsed by the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF) for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE).